Guru and Chela

Concept Note

Guru and Chela: the passing down of knowledge from one generation to the next are vital to the human story through the ages. This painting shows the ancient Vedic university where the master addresses his student under a tree, where they sit directly connected to the earth.

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.