GOND ART

The Gonds are one of the largest indigenous communities in India, concentrated in Madhya Pradesh and the surrounding regions. The word Gond comes from Kond, a Dravidian word meaning green mountains. Traditional Gond art was created on the walls and facades of their domestic and community spaces. It is in the early 1980s that a cluster of Gond artist starting adapting their ritualistic paintings to modern mediums like paper and canvas. Modern Gond art demonstrates strong roots in their historic lifestyle, the natural world, mythological beliefs, songs and oral histories. These complex and intriguing aspects merge aesthetically with modern modes of depiction and techniques, resulting in colourful odes to their myriad past.
“The Gonds used natural colours obtained from tree barks, leaves, flowers and the earth. And our walls were our canvas. Now, we use acrylic and canvas.” as informed by many Gond artists.