What the Gond Remember When They Paint

Gond painting translates the oral folklore, dreams, and forest life of the Gond community into dense, dot-filled visual compositions. Until artists like Jangarh Singh Shyam gained wider recognition in the late 20th century, the form existed almost entirely within the community itself.

Artists like Durga Bai Vyam still paint the stories they grew up hearing — deer, trees, ancestor spirits, forest deities — using techniques taught to them by elders rather than an art school.

Painting alongside her means more than picking up a brush technique. Each session usually comes with the story behind the image, which is really the point.