Jagannath Panda (born 1970, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India) is a prominent contemporary Indian artist, painter, and sculptor based in Gurgaon, Haryana. He is widely recognised for his mixed-media paintings, sculptures, and installations that explore the intersection of tradition and modernity, particularly reflecting on urbanisation, ecology, and the changing landscapes of India. Panda holds a BFA from B.K. College of Arts & Crafts, Bhubaneswar (1991), an MFA from M.S. University, Baroda (1994), and an MFA in Sculpture from the Royal College of Art, London (2002).

Early Life and Education

Born in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, Panda developed an early interest in art by copying illustrations from the Ramayana and making clay figures at school. He apprenticed with a local craftsman, learning to create and paint murtis (idols), and was influenced by the support of painter and art historian Dinanath Pathy during his undergraduate years. His education included learning traditional techniques such as dhokra bronze casting and terracotta sculpture.

Panda pursued higher studies at the Maharaja Sayajirao University in Baroda, where he was mentored by artists like Gulammohammed Sheikh and Raghav Kaneria, and experimented with various media, including wood and large terracotta sculptures. He later completed an MFA in sculpture at the Royal College of Art, London, and was a research fellow at Fukuoka University of Education, Japan (1997–1998).

Career and Exhibitions

Jagannath Panda has exhibited widely in India and internationally, with solo and group shows at venues such as Vadehra Art Gallery (New Delhi), Akara Art (Mumbai), Emami Art (Kolkata), Mori Art Museum (Tokyo), Modern Art Museum (Shanghai), and the Pizzuti Collection (Columbus, Ohio)1. His works are included in major collections, including the National Gallery of Modern Art (New Delhi), Mori Art Museum (Fukuoka), and Lalit Kala Akademi.

He has received several prestigious awards, including the Lalit Kala Akademi Award (1990), Alice Boner Memorial Award (1991), All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society Award (1996), and the Centre Prize, C.I.I.C London (2002). In 2011, he founded the Utsha Foundation for Contemporary Art in Bhubaneswar to support emerging artists and promote contemporary art beyond traditional studio spaces.

Paintings & Notable Works

Jagannath Panda’s art is known for its rich narrative layers, blending motifs from Odisha’s traditional art with contemporary urban imagery. His practice spans mixed-media paintings, drawings, sculptures, and site-specific installations. Key Features and Notable Works:

• Mixed-Media Paintings: Panda’s signature technique involves incorporating traditional Indian brocade fabrics into his paintings, which become the skins of animals, bark of trees, or garments of mythological figures. He often uses acrylic, pastel, collage, and paper in his works.
• Animal Imagery: Animals frequently appear in his works as icons or metaphors, representing people, gods, or cycles of life. For example, the goat in “God and Goat” (2007) symbolises sacrifice and nature, adorned with patterns reminiscent of embroidery and painted in symbolic colors.
• Urban and Natural Juxtaposition: His paintings and installations often depict the coexistence and conflict between urban development and nature, using motifs from both traditional palm leaf drawings and contemporary cityscapes.
• Installations and Sculptures: Panda works with a variety of materials, including terracotta, bronze, stone, and papier-mâché, to create life-size figures and totemic forms that explore themes of migration, ecology, and the artificial versus the natural.
• Selected Works: His works have been auctioned and exhibited globally, with notable pieces including large-scale acrylic paintings, mixed-media collages, and installations addressing the transformation of Indian society.

Art Style

Jagannath Panda’s art style is characterised by:

• Fusion of Tradition and Modernity: He combines Odissi artistic traditions and motifs from Odisha with contemporary urban imagery, reflecting both his roots and his experiences in metropolitan India.
• Narrative Complexity: His works are rich in symbolism, often juxtaposing binary opposites such as nature and technology, rural and urban, tradition and innovation, and figurative and abstract elements.
• Material Experimentation: Panda is known for his use of diverse materials-brocade, fabric, terracotta, bronze, paper, and collage-creating textured, multi-layered surfaces.
• Utopian Sensibility: Despite addressing issues like urbanisation and environmental degradation, his works often possess a deliberate beauty and optimism, avoiding the darkness commonly associated with such themes.
• Animal and Mythological Motifs: Animals serve as recurring icons, and mythological references are woven into contemporary narratives, highlighting the continuity and transformation of cultural symbols.

Legacy and Influence

Jagannath Panda is regarded as a leading figure in contemporary Indian art, known for his ability to bridge traditional and modern artistic languages. His works are celebrated for their technical mastery, narrative depth, and insightful commentary on the evolving Indian landscape. Through his art and initiatives like the Utsha Foundation, Panda continues to influence and inspire new generations of artists in India and beyond.