Important Notice

One of the largest tribes in Central India, the Gonds-who predominantly hail from Madhya Pradesh, as well as some neighbouring states-have a history dating back to 1400 years. The origin of the word "Gond" is rooted in the Dravidian expression "kond," which means "the green mountain." The present day practitioners of Gond art belong to the Pardhan Gond sub-tribe, who were bards and court singers for Gond kings.

Gond art is mainly... One of the largest tribes in Central India, the Gonds-who predominantly hail from Madhya Pradesh, as well as some neighbouring states-have a history dating back to 1400 years. The origin of the word "Gond" is rooted in the Dravidian expression "kond," which means "the green mountain." The present day practitioners of Gond art belong to the Pardhan Gond sub-tribe, who were bards and court singers for Gond kings.

Gond art is mainly based on wall paintings of ancient folklore and myths and depiction of daily life. This art form came to national recognition through the efforts of modern Indian artist Jagdish Swaminathan. In 1981, Swaminathan was on an expedition to document the indigenous art of Madhya Pradesh, when he discovered the paintings of Jangarh Singh Shyam who lived in the village of Patangarh in Mandla district. Swaminathan encouraged the young artist to work at Bharat Bhawan, a multi-art complex in Bhopal which he founded. Shyam, who mainly painted murals on the village hut walls, began working with watercolours and acrylics mediums on paper and canvas. He went to gain international acclaim, and created a legacy that allowed a whole new generation of Gond artists to experiment and flourish with the traditional Gond art form, with many forming their signature styles, as seen in lots 4 and 54.

Among these upcoming artists is Venkat Raman Singh Shyam, nephew of Jangarh Singh Shyam. Born in the Gond community in Sijhora village in 1970, Venkat Raman grew up near the Kanha National Park surrounded by lush nature that would form the inspiration behind his works. He was only 13 when his uncle noticed his early drawings and took him to Bhopal to hone his art. Here he met Swaminathan, as well as the artist Manjit Bawa, who encouraged Venkat Raman and his cousins to build their own artistic paths and individual styles.

Venkat Raman's work is an interesting blend of mythology, tradition and contemporary influences, incorporating the traditional Gond folk tales with a modern day appeal for environmental change. Trees such as the one in the present lot represent the rapidly depleting natural cover of urban landscapes. "The Buddha gained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. Bodh in Sanskrit means knowledge. Whenever you see an image of an enlightened being, they are usually under a tree. Perhaps the tree is imparting knowledge. Today, we don't understand trees and are cutting them down. If we could learn and empathise with trees, perhaps they could give us the cure to global warming?" (Artist quoted in Ritika Kochhar, "A forest in his heart: The art of Venkat Raman Singh Shyam," The Hindu,, 24 May 2019, online)

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