Gond Painting: Venkat Raman Singh Shyam (India)

Aag was painted in response to the closure of numerous European airports due to the clouds of volcanic ash that erupted from volcano Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland in 2010. Venkat Raman Singh Shyam was returning from travel in the United States at the time and was stranded at Frankfurt airport for seven days, in the largest air-traffic closure since World War Two.

The stylised cloud of heavy ash looming below the aeroplane has been executed in intricate Gond patterning, while stranded passengers are depicted reclining on airport lounges.

In 2008, Venkat Raman Singh Shyam was visiting Mumbai, and from the window of his hotel, personally witnessed the events surrounding the terrorist attacks that targeted the Taj and Oberoi hotels.

While the works illustrate current news events, Venkat Raman Singh Shyam uses the characteristic line work of Gond drawing to convey a sense of life and movement that he applies to his more traditional motifs, giving these images a powerful sense of imminence.

Signal shows how the terrorists reached their destination on fishing boats, passing through coastguard security, signalling their identity with red wristbands.

Fruit-gun signifies the increasing number of people drawn to participate in terrorist organisations, playing on the metaphor of fruit and seeds as symbols of growth, and contrasting this with guns which destroy life rather than nurturing it.