Artist profile
Gautam Jhanjee
Gautam Jhanjee is an Australian-Indian artist whose art is a celebration of spirituality, the world's sacred traditions and a love of beauty.
Artist Profile
Gautam Jhanjee is an Australian-Indian artist whose art is a celebration of spirituality, the world’s sacred traditions and a love of beauty.
His artworks depict symbols that have universal, archetypal resonance: symbols like the Sun, Sacred Mother, the Chakra or wheel, the lotus flower, and figures from folklore, mythology, and mysticism. His interest in the ideas of Carl Jung and the study and analysis of dreams dovetail with such themes and symbols – his own dream images are an endless source of inspiration for his artworks.
These themes are also expressed through his love of creating calligraphic art exploring the sacred aspect of writing, and drawing and painting the Australian magpie.
He was born in India in 1980 and has lived in the Middle East, the United Kingdom and Australia, where he now lives with his wife.
Artist Interview
What medium do you work with, and why have you chosen them?
I enjoy a wide variety of media from delicate metal leaf to charcoal drawing, and creating pieces at various scales. Each medium has its unique expression. I especially love painting large pieces on canvas and wood panel in a bold, direct and immediate way that allows the artwork to say what it needs to. I find painting in this way instills life, vitality and energy into my pieces.
How does your artwork get from initial concept to exhibition stage?
I paint whenever I feel the impulse to do so and whatever I feel in the moment, usually at a rapid tempo. Often during the course of painting I feel like changing direction and will then follow that impulse. The final image then emerges and the piece is done. After some time a unifying theme becomes apparent across a number of artworks – these become coherent exhibition collections.
Can you tell us a little more about your creative working environment/studio?
Painting is a lifetime's dedication so I paint in my living room at the heart of my home. My art is an integral part of my daily life. Here in Canberra I'm very fortunate to have my home open onto lake Burley Griffin and the stunning landscape beyond. I can observe shifting weather patters, mist and fog on the lake, sunrises and snowcapped mountains in the winter. The magpies also come into my home when I'm painting. I find all this beauty incredibly enriching for my art and can spend days on end painting.
Career Highlights
- His paintings have been exhibited via galleries in Australia and India, through spiritual art festivals, and at regional art centres in Australia. His piece "Magha" was highlighted in The Hindu newspaper, and received recognition in The Indian Express article, ’The Divine Surge in Modern Art'.
- His paintings are held in private collections internationally. In April 2025, he was entered into the National Library of Australia's web archive as part of the national cultural record. He has an upcoming joint exhibition, ‘Expanse’, in June 2025 at the Yale Columbia Dome, Mount Stromlo Observatory, Canberra, Australia.
- He held a major solo show of 13 large scale paintings 'Goddess with Thousand Faces: Visions of the Feminine in Myth and Cosmos', in Canberra, Australia, March/April 2025. His work has also been acknowledged through arts funding from the Australian Capital Territory Government.
