SIDDHARTH SHINGADE: AN ARTIST'S JOURNEY FROM TULJAPUR TO RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN

Awash in the distinct red soil of Maharashtra, each painting by established contemporary artist Siddharth Shingade draws on his memories of his childhood in a quiet temple town. His canvases are imbued with the stories from a bygone era in rural India, and he is particularly inspired by the connection between the people and the land, explored through the theme of trees and their sacred place in Indian culture. His scenes also often uplift women and their importance to society, depicting their prominent roles in festivals.

In conversation with art writer and historian Sandhya Bordewekar, Siddharth reflects on his artistic journey, his primary themes and the two people who have been a guiding force behind his success — his uncle and his wife.

In his own words, Siddharth Shingade recounts his story:

I have had 7 solo shows to date. And all of them have been sold-outs!

I do not say this out of arrogance. I am just an ordinary village boy who came to Mumbai to study painting. I worked hard and continue to do so today.

My uncle, Mogglan Shravasti, is an artist and teaches painting at the Sir J.J. School of Art in Mumbai. He discovered my talent and love for art when he used to visit my family in the temple town of Tuljapur during the summer holidays. In those days, when I was growing up, Tuljapur was a sleepy village that attracted many pilgrims who worshiped the mother goddess, Tulja Bhavani. My uncle would wander around, briskly sketching, and I would follow him, keenly watching what he was doing. Those were my first lessons in basic drawing, understanding why and how he selected what to sketch, how he held his pencil or crayon, and how his fingers moved as he sketched — my eyes drank that in carefully and locked it up safely in my brain.

I met my wife-to-be at art school…

The L.S. Raheja College of Art polished what I already knew. But most importantly, I became friends with a classmate, Mamata Mondker. When I had to leave the hostel after I finished my post-Diploma studies, it was Mamata who found a room for me to rent near where she stayed. When a Delhi gallery offered me a solo exhibition in 2008, the year after I left art school, I made all 15 to 20 paintings in that small room where I lived and worked. My next solo with the same gallery was in 2010. Both shows did very well, and soon Mamata Mondker became Mamata Shingade!

The Jehangir Gallery is important to all Mumbai artists…

I was delighted when, while still at art school in 2006, I was selected to participate in a group show at the prestigious Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai. My uncle insisted that I price one canvas at $1,500 (₹125,000) and another at $1,200 (₹100,000). This was a lot of money for me and I was very apprehensive, but uncle was firm. I gave in and am so glad that I did — both works were picked up by a gallery from Delhi. I was absolutely thrilled! And could never thank my uncle enough.

That exhibition was my first public platform, and my paintings sold too! That was certainly a good omen at the beginning of my career as an artist. And I have been profusely blessed by Govardhan, Shiva-Parvati and Buddha, too — they are also figures in my canvases.

My paintings reflect what I hold close and value in life…

My childhood memories of the rural landscape — the modest homes, the local people, old temples, animals, trees, markets — spill onto my paintings as strong images. Viewers are able to understand and culturally connect with them with ease. I return often to Tuljapur, to our home where my parents still live.

The color of that reddish soil is always present, symbolically if not actually, in each of my paintings. Once, on a hot afternoon, wandering about with my camera and sketchbook, I came across a heavy wooden door, and that inspired a series of paintings. The door is a powerful image, and it can work in many ways. Now Tuljapur has become a bustling little town with crowded roads, plastic litter and ugly buildings of concrete and glass. I plan to travel to other places — such as Gujarat and Rajasthan — in search of untouched natural wealth, tribal pockets and the old style of living.

Trees — all kinds of trees, not just the baobab — fascinate me: their shapes, the texture of their trunks, the way the branches spread out against the sky, their roots digging into the earth, holding the soil close to their hearts. But also how trees sustain life on Earth. They are our true celebrities, not film stars. A tree in my painting breathes life into that work…

I respect our art historical traditions…

Since last year, I have started experimenting with the style of traditional miniature art but adapting it to modern content. I also present it in new formats, compositions that are like flowing narratives. My miniature works are painted in great detail, not leaving an inch of the canvas unworked. These paintings have been greatly appreciated by my collectors, and their enthusiasm energizes me to improve even further.

I have also introduced religious rituals related to festivals like Nagpanchami and Vatapurnima, which are still performed with fervor by rural women. Women are important figures in my paintings. They have been exploited and continue to be even today, yet they are the ones that hold the family — and the world — together. I acknowledge this debt through my works.

A village boy steps into the Rashtrapati Bhavan…

In 2019, I was amongst 12 artists selected by the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, for an artists’ residency at the Rashtrapati Bhavan (the official residence of the President of India). Two of the paintings I made there were selected to be in the permanent collection of the presidential palace. I was also publicly felicitated by the President of India. It was a very proud moment for me and my family.

It has been 15 years since I left art school, and I am still learning…

I draw a lot of strength from Mamata. Both of us have our own studios. Her work is figurative, largely portraits of women. I have traveled within and outside India. That has given me tremendous exposure to new ways of thinking, what my contemporaries are doing, understanding how traveling broadens the mind and grows you as a person. I have been able to create an identity for myself and my kind of painting. And I continue to explore, to innovate!

Thank you very much, Siddharth.

To browse our curated collection of contemporary paintings by Indian artist Siddharth Shingade, visit https://laasyaart.com/siddharth-shingade/. If you would like to make an appointment to see these works in person at our Indian art gallery in Palo Alto, please reach out at info@laasyaart.com or +1 650-770-9088.

— Sonia Patwardhan