Venkat Raman Singh Shyam

Venkat Raman Singh Shyam belongs to the tradition of Pardhan Gond art inaugurated by the legendary Jangarh Singh Shyam, his uncle. After apprenticing with Jangarh in the 1990s, Venkat worked a range of jobs – including as house painter, screen printer and signboard artist. He also was fortunate to be guided by the pioneering Jagdish Swaminathan. Since Jangarh’s death in 2002, Venkat has pursued a full-time career in art despite several hurdles. Having travelled and exhibited widely in India, the US, Canada and Europe, Venkat has been exposed to a wide range of arts practices which have influenced his sensibility. Venkat’s graphic autobiography, Finding My Way, coauthored with S. Anand, will be published in April 2015.