Shelter of the tree of life
Details
Artform
Traditional Gond Art, Madhya Pradesh
Artist
Venkat Shyam
Dimensions
30 x 22 In.
Medium
Natural Colors on Acid-Free Paper
Framing
Unframed
Learn More
The Painting
"This artwork hand-painted by Venkat Shyam is made in the tradition of Gond art. Nature and it’s conservation have long been a central motif in the Gond belief system. As in many other cultures, the central symbol of life and nature is that of a tree. Trees provide an essential function in the survival of our environment which is acknowledged by artists, philosophers and theologians all across the world. This has resulted in the creation of the Tree of life icon which is used extensively in Gond art. The image is painted in the traditional Gond style which involves fine lines, dots, and dashes but the composition itself is unique to Venkat Shyam who has over the years developed his signature style of traditional entwined with modern. Unlike the common manner of depicting the tree of life, Venkat Shyam has made this composition almost monochrome, forming the tree through intricate layers of black lines against a stark white background. At the foot of the tree we see similarly created deer that frolick around the tree. It is only in the foliage that we see a sudden splash of color that draw the eye with it’s yellow hew. The palette comprises natural pigments drawn on canvas sheets which is a 20th-century phenomenon as the Gond paintings were produced on mud walls."
The Artform
The Gond art originating in Madhya Pradesh derives its name from the Dravidian word kond which means ‘green mountain’. Over the years the Gond artists have developed a bold visual vocabulary that uses naturally occurring pigment colors such as black, deep red, white, and ochre. The geometric patterns involving dots are used to create an intricate image of animals and the natural environment with an infusion of a distinct style of each practicing Gond artist. The history of the Gond tribe goes back 1400 years ago, with it comes a heritage of Gond Pradhans, who were musicians and storytellers within the tribe, and the primarily practiced Gond art which has transcended from being painted on mud walls to canvas and papers. It is also popular in regions like Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha.
The Artist
Born in 1970, Venkat Shyam is a renowned name in the Indian Tribal art space. He apprenticed under his uncle Jangarh Singh Shyam, a renowned Gond artist for several years. He specializes in contemporary Pradhan Gond art, along with murals, etchings, mixed media, and animation. He is a recipient of the ‘Rajya Hasta Shilpa Puraskar’ and has exhibited in India as well as abroad such as in the exhibition Sakahàn: International Indigenous Art at the National Gallery of Canada, in Ottawa (2013), Painted Songs & Stories, curated by John H. Bowles in the U.S.A (2010), Anadi organized by National Gallery of Moder Art, Mumbai (2004), and at the American embassy. He has published several books with his long-time collaborator S. Anand such as Finding My Way (2016) and Ganja Mahua Chronicles (2016).
Provenance
The painting has been created by Bridge Bharat’s master artist partners.
Customizations
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Other details
"The price you see is for an unframed painting. If you want us to custom frame the artwork, please drop us a message. We highly encourage this, framing is an art by itself :) The artwork you will receive is as close to the original artwork as possible but as with all things handmade, there may be minute differences in color and motifs, truly rendering each artwork one of a kind. Trust the process! "