Important Notice

“As times and cultures converge, the citadels of purism explode. Traditional and modern, private and public, the inside and outside continually telescope and reunite. The kaleidoscopic flux of images engages me to construe structures in the process of being created.” - GULAM MOHAMMED SHEIKH

Despite notably being part of the 1890 Group which, in fellow member J Swaminathan’s words, “was a reverse journey of sorts, back to the womb,... “As times and cultures converge, the citadels of purism explode. Traditional and modern, private and public, the inside and outside continually telescope and reunite. The kaleidoscopic flux of images engages me to construe structures in the process of being created.” - GULAM MOHAMMED SHEIKH

Despite notably being part of the 1890 Group which, in fellow member J Swaminathan’s words, “was a reverse journey of sorts, back to the womb, to those infinite depths of unknowing – to combat against forces of historic progress, of man-made ‘change’, of a civilization that produces Auschtiwz and Gulag...” (Chaitanya Sambrani, “Baroda: ‘a stepping stone to world art”, Chaitanya Sambrani ed., At Home in the World: The Art and Life of Gulammohamed Sheikh, New Delhi: Tulika Books in association with Vadehra Art Gallery, 2019, p. 111-112), Gulam Mohammed Sheikh’s work took off in a trajectory different to the group’s ahistorical vision.

Sheikh spent his childhood steeped in the pluralistic culture of his hometown Surendranagar in Gujarat where he was in close contact with local Muslim, Hindu and Jain traditions. He learned to read the Quran at the behest of his observant father, gave the azaan (Islamic call to prayer) at the local mosque as a child, visited Jain temples, enjoyed close formative friendships across religious lines, and educated himself in Kalidas’ poetry and Vedic literature. As a member of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (MSU Baroda), he independently studied art history as well as the Hindu, Christian, Buddhist and Islamic schools of thought that art has been influenced by. It eventually became important for the artist to engage with the diverse traditions he was legatee of in his own work since, according to him, “their world remains part of my world”. (Sambrani, p. 115) This “formation of a subjectivity at once rooted in diverse traditions and yet untrammelled by anxieties of influence” (Sambrani, p. 112), in the words of art historian Chaitanya Sambrani, was apparent in his work after time spent in Europe from 1963 to 1966, where he explored prevailing artistic traditions and was exposed to works from the Renaissance and the Victoria and Albert Museum’s extensive collection of Indian miniatures.

On his return to India in 1966, Sheikh’s palette began to include bold reds, pinks, blues and yellows, exhibiting the impact of his close study of Indian miniatures. This present lot from 1987 is dominated by brilliant shades of red, yellow and green, and shows their lifelong influence on Sheikh’s palette. He expands the role of colour beyond the visual to register the impression of the sensual experience of Indian living. He has stated that “the effect of color is meant to be thermal, something you feel at different levels of temperature. So in that sense, color is not only part of a spectrum, it is seen in terms of touch, by feeling it. And that experience corresponds to a sense of color born out of living in the changing climatic conditions of India.” (Suman Gopinath, “In Conversation with Gulammohammed Sheikh”, Horn Please: Narrative in Contemporary Indian Art, Ostfildern: Hatje Cantz Verlag, 2007, p. 46)

“The world as it came to me, however, came almost invariably manifold, plural or at least dual in form.” - GULAM MOHAMMED SHEIKH

Alluding to the eponymous lake in Baroda, Sursagar is layered with a multitude of figurative, architectural, and natural imagery. Human figures occupy various pockets of the canvas, a turbaned rider atop a bike, and others lounging in doorways and crouched on the floor. An overwater bridge flanked by boats on either side leads to a squat structure, and flora and fauna loom on either side of this configuration. This bringing together of disparate elements to explore a sense of “simultaneity and multiplicity” is characteristic of Sheikh’s “narrative figuration”, according to Sambrani. “His exploration of multiplicity involved breaking away from linear temporality, and to devise ways of incorporating several stories within a single frame, effectively rendering the structure porous...” (Sambrani, p. 130) The present lot, like many of his works from the 1980s, presents a narrative more alike to the fluid narratives found on the walls of the Ajanta caves, which did not necessarily form a linear pattern, as opposed to the neatly demarcated narratives of Rajasthani miniatures. In the artist’s words, “My interest in these forms triggered the exploration of multiple portrayals, without a linear sequentiality, with an intrinsic order that would hold it all together. So if you worked within a frame, as I did, the question was how to break it, and bring multiple stories within its borders with several entries and exits, to enable the viewer to enter from one story into the other; either from the point he chose or the points that the painting would suggest.” (Gopinath, p. 45)

The eye is drawn to a large tree, shaded in yellows and greens, which fills the right third of the frame. The tree holds great cultural significance in South Asia where it represents enlightenment for Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus. It also holds personal importance for Sheikh, who has used it as a recurring motif in his oeuvre, especially in his works of the 1980s. According to Sambrani, “these tree-forms became paradoxical expressions of a potential for mobility within tradition. Their rootedness implied immobility, yet their seeming preparedness to uproot themselves spoke of a temporal and physical materiality that was amenable to transformation.” (Sambrani, p. 127)

In the 1980s, the decade the present lot was made in, the artist lived in a residence with a view of a champa tree from his bedroom. It shows up in Revolving Routes, 1981, where the tree motif represented “a kind of speaking tree, one that stood for plurality of Indian traditions.” (Sambrani, p. 131) His exploration of this theme through the tree metaphor reached an apotheosis in 1996 with the monumental Tree of Life mural in Bhopal where, “As a structural device, the tree-form offered a semantic scaffolding for relationships of meaning, while as metaphor for the world, it accommodated a weaving together of allegories, events and imagined states. Thus it provided for temporal and geographical telescoping as a way for producing new insight into the past, and proffering critique for the present and future.” (Sambrani, p. 135)

The bold Indian colours of the present lot and referential symbolism indicate a wide variety of influences working on the artist and are a brilliant example of Sheikh’s narrative style which draws from diverse pictorial and cultural traditions, in this instance tapping into the figure of the tree as “a rich art-historical vein that extends through many of the world’s philosophical and religious systems.” (Sambrani, p.135)


PROPERTIES FROM THE COLLECTION OF SIMRAN AND VIR KOTAK (LOTS 36-37)

IN BENEFIT OF THE EIGHT FOUNDATION

As passionate individuals deeply immersed in the art world, we are the proud founders of The Eight Foundation. Being artists, collectors and enthusiasts, our natural inclination towards larger-scale artworks led to the organic evolution of the Foundation. Recognising the primacy of the exhibition-making process and the necessity for curated spaces beyond commercial galleries, our journey began with the intention to support art practices that transcend the momentary display. The vision of The Eight Foundation is to serve as a catalyst for artists, nurturing an environment that prolongs the existence and resonance of their works within the community’s consciousness.

At The Eight Foundation, we believe in the transformative power of art to transcend boundaries, engage diverse perspectives, and shape social, political, and environmental discourse. Our mission is to establish a platform for contemporary art practices that goes beyond mere collecting and financial support. We endeavour to cultivate an inclusive ecosystem where artists can unleash their creativity, engage in interdisciplinary exchange, and sustain meaningful dialogues with audiences over time.

Through our upcoming residency programme in the Andaman Islands, we offer artists a unique habitat in a remote and biodiverse setting. Our 5-acre residency site, equipped with specialised studios for ceramics, woodworking, metalworking, and upcycling plastic and other found materials, provides an ideal space for artists to push their boundaries and develop their artistic practices. Surrounded by breathtaking views of the sea and forest, the residency aims to inspire artists and foster a deep connection with nature, fuelling their creative odysseys.

A short distance away will be the main site where we are developing an organic and adaptable sculpture park where art harmonises with nature to create an immersive experience. Spanning 25 acres of diverse terrain, including jungles, elevated areas and paddy fields, this site invites visitors and residents to explore a network of pathways that wind through mangroves, beaches, and reefs. In addition, we envision establishing a white cube gallery as an extension of the sculpture park, providing a formal space for artistic expression.

The Eight Foundation is deeply committed to environmental consciousness and sustainability. We have founded another organisation in the Andaman Islands, the Andamans Conservancy Foundation, which is working on environmental conservation with a focus on social equity for the settler communities of the Andaman Archipelago.

Our aim is to fill gaps in data on localised issues in the region of Middle Andaman, where our pilot project on marine and terrestrial litter is currently based. As an organisation, the Andamans Conservancy Foundation’s policy is to ensure that our team comprises of people from the local communities. For us, conversations around conservation and ecological and social development cannot happen without the direct involvement of all the island’s stakeholders.

By curating exhibitions, organising innovative exhibition-making processes, and fostering cross-pollination between contemporary art and other disciplines, we seek to foster collaboration and dialogue among artists, thinkers, and stakeholders in the art world. The Eight Foundation perceives art to be a powerful force that shapes social, political, and environmental discourse, nurturing critical thinking, empathy, and transformation.

Our commitment to quality over quantity ensures meaningful engagements with artists and stakeholders. We seek to curate artworks that emanate from a place of authenticity, represent diverse voices, and transcend politics and identity. We advocate for dialogues that delve beyond surface interpretations, exploring the honesty and thought processes behind each artwork. Acknowledging the challenges of remaining a permanent and relevant catalyst in an ever-changing world, The Eight Foundation remains dedicated to quality, collaboration and meaningful engagement with artists and communities. We adapt and evolve to ensure our continued impact in the art world, with aspirations to extend our reach beyond current regions of focus (i.e., The Andamans, Singapore and Delhi) to engage with artists and communities across Southeast Asia and West Asia.

Towards furthering our projects in the Andaman Islands, particularly The Eight Foundation residency, we have decided to bring to auction two artworks very dear to us-works by artists Rameshwar Broota and Gulam Mohammed Sheikh whom we deeply admire, which we have had the privilege of both living with, and that have been a part of beautifully curated shows at the Foundation’s space. We sincerely hope that by parting with these seminal artworks, we are able to add another brick to the dream that we are creating, and further what we believe will be an invaluable institution in the contemporary art firmament.

- SIMRAN AND VIR KOTAK

Read More
Artist Profile
Other works of this artist in: this auction  |  entire site