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Reverence to the holy cow

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Details

Artform

Traditional Gond Art, Madhya Pradesh

Artist

Venkat Shyam

Dimensions

36 x 48 In.

Medium

Natural Colors on Canvas

Framing

Unframed

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The Painting

This artwork hand-painted by Venkat Shyam is made in the tradition of Gond art. Animals have been an important motif in the Gond belief system. Their representation on the walls was thought would bring luck to the house; one of the animals that are prominently portrayed in Gond art is the cow. In this unique representation, the artist has portrayed a cow as a central figure while in the foreground he has painted a human who seems dwarfed in the presence of the gigantic cow. 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. He has left the background white to enhance the vibrancy of the main figures. The artist has painted the cow in a patchwork-like style using different patterns and colors. Upon closer inspection, one finds different flower motifs drawn on the body of the cow. The colorful palette comprises natural pigments drawn on canvas 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

"Want a unique artwork for that wall at home- one that resonates entirely with you? Please use the WhatsApp chat below or email us at aakanksha@bridgebharat.com to discuss your requirements with our team. "

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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! "

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