Bhajju Shyam

Bhajju Shyam is a contemporary Indian artist from the Gond-Pardhan community whose practice is rooted in the rich storytelling traditions of central India. Shyam’s narrative-based works are focused on transforming inherited tribal motifs into strikingly modern visual languages. He draws deeply from Gond myths, folktales, and the rhythms of nature to depict a world animated by ancestral spirits, animals, and cosmic forces. Storytelling is central to his art. He reimagines traditional symbols using intricate patterns of dots and lines, translating the world as seen through a Gond imagination into contemporary contexts. His work highlights how memory, perception, and cultural roots transform one’s experience of place.  His practice is also responsive to new influences and modern life, from cityscapes to ecological concerns. He believes there are new elements in his work but that its essence remains the same: a way of seeing the world through the Gond worldview. His approach underscores the continuity of cultural memory while allowing for reinvention and experimentation.

He began his journey apprenticing with his uncle, the legendary Jangarh Singh Shyam, in Bhopal before striking out on his own. His solo exhibitions include: ‘Untitled’ at Ojas Art, New Delhi (2022); ‘Van Katha’ at Akriti Art Gallery, Kolkata (2022); Bhopal Literature Festival, Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal (2019); Festival of India, Bonhams Gallery, Hong Kong (2018); Indian Summer Art, Vancouver (2017); and Maa Matre at Ojas Art, New Delhi (2016). He has also participated in numerous group exhibitions, such as: India Art, Architecture & Design Biennale, Red Fort, New Delhi (2023–24); Karmabhoomi at Artisans’ Art Gallery, Mumbai (2023); India Art Fair with Ojas Art, New Delhi (2024); The Conference of the Birds at British Council and Ojas Art, New Delhi (2022); and Bookaroo Children’s Literature Festival on ‘The London Jungle Book’, Sanskriti Kendra, New Delhi (2008).

He has executed major public art projects including Dilliwale, a 95ft x 35ft mural in New Delhi with St+Art India Foundation (2019), and Dancing in Unison, a 7-storey mural in Singapore (2021). His accolades include the Padma Shri by the Government of India (2018); Ojas Art Master Artist Award (2015); Bologna Ragazzi Award for The Night Life of Trees (2008); IBBY Honour List for That’s How I See Things (2010); and State Award for Best Indigenous Artist by the Government of Madhya Pradesh (2001). His work is part of several notable museum collections, including the Horniman Museum (London), Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (Bhopal), National Museums Scotland, the Rebecca Hossack Gallery (London), and more.