In every great story of success, there are those who stand in the spotlight and those who linger in the shadows, quietly shaping the legacy of the ones they love. History is replete with figures who, without intention or desire, found themselves drawn into the orbit of their partner’s creative fire, only to discover their own creative destinies when the spotlight shifts. Such stories have echoed through the ages – like Frida Kahlo, once known as the spouse of Diego Rivera, but whose own vibrant world became undeniable, or Syliva Plath, initially recognised as the wife of poet Ted Hughes, whose fame she eventually surpassed as her own poetry became iconic.
Another similar narrative as dramatic and strikingly poignant is that of Nankusiya Shyam, an artist initially by circumstance and eventually by heart. Her journey begins not with ambition but with unimaginable loss - a woman who picked up a brush to preserve a legacy and in doing so discovered her own.
Born in 1972 in the verdant village of Sonpuri in Madhya Pradesh, Nankusiya Shyam had no initial interest in art. The quiet rhythms of village life, where thick forests meet open skies, formed the backdrop of her childhood. It was her husband, the legendary Jangarh Singh Shyam, who introduced her to the realm of Gond art. Despite being reluctant initially, she began by assisting him and filling in the colours on his intricate figures, never imagining herself as more than an occasional participant in his creative process.
But as fate would have it, Jangarh, the man who breathed new life into Gond art, tragically took his own life in 2001. In the wake of this unspeakable loss, Nankushiya found herself at a crossroads, burdened with grief and the weight of continuing her husband’s legacy. Art, which had once been a reluctant duty, now became a lifeline. The very act of painting was a balm for her sorrow, a means of survival not just emotionally, but also practically. As unscrupulous figures in the art world sought to claim Jangarh’s legacy for themselves, Nankushiya, out of mourning and necessity, began to emerge as the true torchbearer of Gond art.
In the years following Jangarh’s death, Nankushiya took up painting with newfound purpose. What began as an act of remembrance slowly transformed into something more profound- her own artistic voice began to take shape. Gond art, known for its vibrant colours, intricate patterns and depictions of nature, became not just a continuation of her husband's work but a canvas for her own memories and experiences. Late into the night, while her children slept, she would stay up completing images, finding in solitude a space where her confidence blossomed.
The flora and fauna of her childhood - animals she had seen wandering through the forests of Sonpuri - found their way onto her canvases. Her works, rich in colour and imagery, are a vibrant homage to the wildlife and thick forests of her native Madhya Pradesh. Yet these were not just static images of nature; they were sentient beings, imbued with life and consciousness, much like the ancient folk tales of her region, where animals, rivers and mountains were alive with stories of their own. It was as if the very forms and colours of her upbringing, long buried in her consciousness, rose up to guide her hand, and in doing so, guided her into the world of contemporary Gond painting.
In reclaiming her husband’s legacy, Nankushiya found her own place in the art world. Exhibitions of her work soon followed - first in Delhi, Jaipur and Bhopal, then in international venues like Japan, France, Sri Lanka and Dubai.
