“Every artist from the Gond community has developed a unique style and patterning for their art. For me, it is the Bindu or dot (symbolising the supreme god) and the half moon around it (symbolising our village and community). I see so much similarity between my work and that of Dali and Picasso!”
Venkat Raman Singh Shyam was 10 when he picked up pieces of charcoal and adorned every inch of the walls of his home and scraps of newspaper with sketches of all that he saw in his village. Born into a Gond Pardhan family in Sejohra village of Madhya Pradesh, Venkat has entrenched himself in the world of Art for the last 4 decades. Training under his uncle, famed Gond artist late Jangarh Singh Shyam, Venkat learnt to develop his own unique style while visually narrating ancient tales of his community and modern day scenes of the world around him.
The essence of Venkat’s art is rooted in the crossroad where ancient oral histories meet with independent vision. “Change is the ultimate rule of nature and the universe. While the theme of my paintings are rooted in my traditions and mythology, my narrative constantly adapts to reach out to varied audiences” says Venkat.
