Gond art painting

Gond art painting

Gond art form has been developed by the Gondi tribe of Central India. The word Gond is derived from the Dravidian expression kond which means ‘the green mountain’. The art form celebrates everything that the nature offers - the hills, forests and streams; animals, birds and humans, everything. Story telling is a strong element and an expression of everyday quest for life is a major element of the art.

The Gond tribal community is one of central India's largest indigenous communities and their art is an expression of their everyday quest for life. The Gond art rendezvous with the belief that "viewing a good image begets good luck". This inherent belief led the Gonds to decorating their houses and the floors with traditional tattoos and motifs. However, Gondi art has since transposed onto paper and canvass with talented artists showcasing their skills. Language of the soul is expressed in the brilliant hues of Gondi art. The signature styles are the essence of this tribal art form and are intrinsically used to fill the surface of their decorative patterns and motifs. The allusiveness and individualism of each Gond artist is defined by these signature stylesThe fine lines, dots and dashes of traditional Gond Pradhan motifs were introduced to the world by the late painter J.Swaminathan, who discovered a talented seventeen year old Jangarh Singh Shyam decorating the huts of Patangarh in Madhya Pradesh. Jangarh's meteoric rise to fame was marked by his acclaimed exhibitions in Paris and Tokyo and ended on a tragic note with his suicide. 

The legacy of Jangarh is captured in the artistic brilliance and creativity of his family who he had mentored in this traditional art form, and thus came about the resurgence of a whole new generation of Shyams

The Gonds paint their walls with vibrant depictions of local flora, fauna and gods such as Marahi Devi and Phulvari Devi (Goddess Kali). Traditionally made on festive occasions such as Karwa Chauth, Diwali, Ashtami and Nag Panchmi, Gond painting depicts various celebrations, rituals and man’s relationship with nature. The artists use natural colors derived from charcoal, colored soil, plant sap, leaves, and cow dung. This mystical art form is created by putting together dots and lines. The imaginative use of the line imparts a sense of movement to the still images. The paintings are an offering in worship of nature, and are also a mode of seeking protection and warding off evil.