The Guild is delighted to present Rajkumar Korram and Shantibai’s recent works in an exhibition titled Not under Great Law, not under Sacred Law, curated by artist Navjot Altaf. Both the artists are from Kondagaon districts in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. Their present sculptures carved in wood, in the form of columns (Khambhas) along with paintings and photographs, done in last five years, represent their engagement with the political and aesthetic quests which are interwoven together.

As Members of DIAA – Dialogue Interactive Artists Association, Kondagaon, in collaboration with Navjot and Gessuram since 2000, they have made site specific sculptural structures at various hand pump sites and have been engaged with community work with the locals and the children. They have also been part of organizing seminars at DIAA center and like travelling. The process of these activities and interaction during travel has informed and enriched their individual practice.         

“The reclaimed biography animates the work of these two artists, as they narrate their quest as artists and as citizens. They have borrowed the pillar form from the carved memorial pillars or Maria Khambhas, which have traditionally communicated the hagiographic narratives of the elite within the tribal community. But with Shantibai and Rajkumar, their wooden sculptures are not memorials to the past but, rather, testimonies to the burning present. Theirs is a history of the Now told from a subaltern perspective. Here, they relate the plight of a people caught in the crossfire between Maoists fighting an armed revolution in their name and a heavily militarized State that treats its own people as collateral damage while fighting its enemies. They refer, also, to the State’s collusion with multinationals to profit from a forest belt rich in minerals.” – Nancy Adajania 

Rajkumar has written diary notes about each of his Khambhas. Referring to the ongoing Maoist agitation and the Police intrusion into the villages, he says “This bombing, shooting, killing each other, we human beings and brothers killing each other, this makes me very sad and melancholy. At the top of my artwork I have shown a collection of canons, guns, pistols, bombs etc. Government from whichever party it may be should find a solution to this problem and give justice to people in the affected areas.  Through discussion a solution should be found. As an artist I think that the representatives of various countries should sit together and discuss this and take a decision to ban the production of weapons and use of guns. Slowly all the weapons and guns should be collected and placed in a Museum.” 

“During their search for Maoists, the police came to the village looking for them.  This is Sonia’s home. She is washing vessels. When the villagers saw the Police, they got scared and ran towards the forest.  As Sonia was at home, they got into her house. One of the policemen went inside and…” – Shantibai about one of her carved Khambas.

Rajkumar was born in 1972, Bastar district, Chhattisgarh. He trained under Master Craftsperson Raituram and has been part of the Dialogue Interactive Artists Association (DIAA) since inception. His works have been shown in Museums, institutions and galleries. Some of his select shows include: Edge of Desire: Recent Art in India, curated by Chaitanya Sambrani that travelled to Perth, New York, Mexico City, Monterrey, Berkeley, New Delhi and Mumbai (2004-2007); Solo exhibition at Sakshi Gallery, 2007 and group show Sculptures and Paintings – artists from Kondagaon, Bastar, 2004 and Modes of Parallel Practice: Ways of World Making – phase II, Sakshi Gallery, 2001; Modes of Parallel Practice: Ways of World Making, Phase 1,  Sakshi Gallery Mumbai and Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, as part of First Asian Art Triennale Fukuoka, Japan, 1998-1999; Nalpar, site oriented sculptural structures, co-operative project with Navjot Altaf, Shantibai and Gessuram, supported by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), 2000-02; Self Exploration, Interactive project at Shilpi Gram with others, supported by IFAD,  2000-02; Collaboration as a Strategy in Indian Contemporary Art, collaborative project, Nalpar and  Pilla Gudi with others and supported by IFAD and IFA, India Foundation for the Arts, 2000 -04. Rajkumar has been participating in seminars Samvad 1, 2 and 3, at DIAA, and has been organizing community activities since 2003. His works are in many important private collections including Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Japan.

Shantibai was born in 1960, Bastar district, Chhattisgarh. She trained under Master Craftsperson and husband Raituram and has been part of Dialogue Interactive Artists Association (DIAA) since inception. Her   works have been shown in Museums, institutions and galleries. Some of her select shows include:  Sculptures and Paintings – artists from Kondagaon, Bastar, 2004 and Modes of Parallel Practice: Ways of World Making – phase II, 2001, Sakshi Gallery; Modes of Parallel Practice: Ways of World Making, Phase 1, Sakshi Gallery Mumbai and Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, as part of First Asian Art Triennale Fukuoka, Japan 1998-1999;  Nalpar, site oriented sculptural structures, co-operative project with Navjot Altaf, Rajkumar and Gessuram, supported by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), 2000-02; Self Exploration, Interactive project at Shilpi Gram with others, supported by IFAD,  2000-02; Collaboration as a Strategy in Indian Contemporary Art, collaborative project  Nalpar and  Pilla Gudi with others and supported by IFAD and IFA, India Foundation for the Arts 2000-2004. Shantibai has been participating in seminars Samvad 1, 2 and 3, at DIAA, and has organized art workshops for children since 2003. Her works are in many important private collections including Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Japan. 

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