Jagannath Panda (Indian, b.1970) Democracy in the Neighbourhood

signed and dated twice 'Jagannath Panda 06/2006 JANGANNATH PANDA' (verso) acrylic on canvas Painted in 2006 Unframed: 305 x 147.5 cm. (120 x 58 in.) Works from the Collection of Frank Cohen (Lots 79-95)Provenance: With Gallery Chemould, Mumbai, 2007, where purchased by the present owner Exhibited: Wolverhampton, Initial Access: Frank Cohen Collection, Passages to India, 15 Mar-12 Jul 2008Notes: Jagannath Panda’s Democracy in the Neighbourhood (2006) presents a monumental tableau that captures the complex cultural landscape of contemporary India. Executed in acrylic on canvas, this expansive 147.5 cm by 305 cm composition is imbued with a distinct sensibility that reflects on the intersections of myth, nature, and modern urbanity. Panda uses a structured, geometric architectural backdrop to stage an enchanting narrative where the boundaries between the divine and the everyday dissolve. The vertical composition is defined by the stark, pastel-hued facades of modern apartment blocks framing a muted grey sky. Within this concrete grid, a fascinating intersection of characters unfolds. Resting casually upon a low architectural ledge is a blue-skinned, four-armed Hindu deity who leans down to interact with a pack of stray street dogs gazing up in anticipation. High above, on a cantilevered balcony, a dark panther-like feline stretches gracefully to sniff a delicate blossoming tree. These disparate elements coexist harmoniously within the urban sprawl, creating a quiet tension between the natural world, ancient mythology, and man-made environments. This vivid juxtaposition elevates the painting into the realm of magical realism, highlighting themes central to Panda's mature oeuvre. By inserting traditional religious iconography and displaced wildlife into the rigid architecture of the metropolis, Panda comments on the intense urbanization and social transformations reshaping modern India. Paradoxes exist seamlessly in his imagery, where the ancient and modern, as well as the natural and man-made, are forced to share the same habitat. The work suggests an enchanted view of existence, implying that despite rapid modernisation, the mythical and the natural continue to endure in the crevices of the expanding city. This distinctive approach to the urban experience is deeply rooted in Panda’s personal background. Born in 1970 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, to a father who was a temple priest, Panda was heavily influenced by local traditions and religious imagery from a young age. He subsequently studied at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, the Fukuoka University of Education in Japan, and the Royal College of Art in London. In 2005, he relocated to Gurgaon, where the constant construction, mass migration, and ecological displacement he witnessed naturally permeated his canvases. Today, represented by prominent institutions like the Vadehra Art Gallery, Panda remains a vital voice in contemporary Indian art. Democracy in the Neighbourhood distils his signature vision, masterfully reconciling the mythical and the technological within a rapidly changing world.