Jagannath Panda

Acquired from Nature Morte, New Delhi

Jagannath Panda, Nature Morte, New Delhi, 10 - 29 October 2005

Jagannath Panda, Nature Morte, New Delhi, 10 - 29 October 2005, unpaginated, illus.

Good overall condition. Canvas would benefit from a light cleaning.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Jagannath Panda grew up in Orissa coming from a family of Brahmin priests, where religion also played an important role in his upbringing. He was highly influenced by the ornate textile designs and patterns native to his home state. His move to the outskirts of Delhi opened his eyes to a dysfunctional and ever-changing society.

Panda often includes insects, birds and animals in his work and their adapted behavioural patterns due to human intervention. His work makes the viewer acutely aware of the relationship between the natural and the urban world and how they must co-exist. The animals in Panda's paintings seem to be temporararily stepping into the picture frame, as if they are passing through, migrating from one place to the next. This is evocative of the displacement that Panda and others have felt in moving from their rural origins to a metropolis.

The monumental scale and stylisation of this spider relates closely to Louise Bourgeois's reknowned sculpture Maman. Bourgeois's work was an ode to her mother, who was a weaver at her father's tapestry workshop. 'Spiders are helpful and protective, just like my mother.' (Louise Bourgeois: Maman Work of the Week 2 June 2010, www.tate.org.uk). In this painting, Panda has chosen to portray his monumental spider entirely in fabric, using a brocade typical to the Orissan region, which parallels his origins. Here Panda has a sensitive approach to colour with the cobwebs, the sky and the background giving a whimsical sensibility. The spider becomes less threatening and less Kafka-esque and more ornamental, literally a part of the fabric of Indian life. The spider, whether for Bourgeois, Husain (see lot 2) or Panda, serves as a protector rather than a menace.