Gond Painting
Madhya Pradesh
Geographically, the Gond territory extended from the Godavari in the
south to the Vindhyas in the north. This art form is popular among most
tribes in Madhya Pradesh and it is particularly well developed as an art
among the Gond tribe of Mandala district.
Gond wall decorations are made with a thick stick dipped in mud or
clay mixed with chaff and water. When a house is under construction,
the mud wall is kept damp for patterns to be imposed on it, which is
then covered with cow dung or lime. The area may be sub-divided into
panels by broad bands enhanced with geometric motifs. Within the
panels, a design is carved with geometric patterns, animals, human
figures and flower patterns which are formed in interesting circles.
Spirals and circles are also enhanced with alternate triangles.
In all these paintings there is a basic simplicity. They appear without
anatomical details, and move in silhouettes. A simple impression of a
pair of wings turns gradually into a geometric figure. A fish is symbolized
by bones, a tortoise by its flippers. The former stands for fertility, while
the latter for stability. Designs in white or red wash on the floor ensure
security of the house. Blue, yellow, black are used in contemporary as
well as traditional art.
Local deities, cock fights, forest scenes, agriculture, weddings and
other visuals find a significant place in Gond tribal art.
Venkat Raman Singh Shyam belongs to the Pradhan tribal community of the Gonds. Born in 1970,
he started painting from the age of 10. His main inspiration comes from the renowned artist,
J. Swaminathan and from the legendary Gond artist, Jangarh Singh Shyam. He has participated
in the National Exhibition of Art, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, 1995, as well as exhibitions in
Mumbai at the Jehangir Art Gallery, 1999; the National Gallery of Modern Art, 2001; and the
Jamaat Art Gallery, 2009. In 2012, he was part of ‘Vision of India’, a Pradhan-Gond painting
exhibition at the Horniman Museum, London, and his solo show, ‘The Tribal World of Venkat Raman
Singh’, was on display at the Brookline Arts Center, Massachusetts. In 2013, he participated in
‘Sakàhan’ an exhibition of indigenous art forms at the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, and
‘Vernacular India’ at Galerie Anders Hus, Paris.
