Forefathers

Concept Note

Forefathers portray pre-sedentary humanity before agricultural settlement paved the way for organised civilisation. Male initiation and the transfer of intergenerational knowledge in this painting include the teaching of vital survival skills, such as hunting and fishing, cyclical seasonality, and the sacralisation of the environment. The painting depicts wise elders, younger men being exposed to this knowledge, a land mammal and fish skeleton, symbolising our primordial place in the cosmos.

ABOUT ARTIST

Canberra-based artist Gautam Jhanjee is in the field of sacred art. His calligraphic art collection draws inspiration from the rich cultures of the places he called home, India, Oman, the United Kingdom, and Australia. As well as his deeper Maharashtrian, Punjabi, and German heritage. With his paint in his flat overlooking stunning Lake Burley Griffin and the beautiful landscape beyond. His artworks are inspired by the spiritual and religious traditions of my Indo-European heritage. Focusing on Indian civilisation, they feature ancient symbols that have continued archetypal resonance, such as The Buddha, the chakra, the sun, the bull, and the lotus flower. He also draws from sources in the western tradition, from Greek mythology to to Dante’s Commedia To William Blake’s poetic masterpieces. He aims to give pre-modern material renewed life in a technological and often desacralised age.