About Us
The Initiative
www.gondtribalart.org aims to raise awareness of the underrepresented Gond artists and to revitalise this space. The wonderful Gond paintings are all made by skilled artists in the states of Madhya Pradesh, eastern Maharashtra (Vidarbha), Chattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Western Odisha in India. Though the prices of Gond paintings have soared in recent years, the benefit has accrued to the middlemen and galleries who purchase the paintings from the artists at low prices and sell them at exorbitant mark-ups. The middlemen’s commissions account for roughly 60% of the selling price of the paintings. The artists realise only a paltry sum for their hard labour in producing their works. This has caused the younger generations of artists to abandon the profession, in search of higher-paying occupations. It is critical to revitalise Gond art in order to bring back the craft that, in some ways, defines the region itself, and help to preserve it for the benefit of posterity. The loss of the beautiful Gond art would be devastating for local and global communities alike. A deeply-rooted practise in this area would be eliminated, creating a loss of culture and identity in the local community. www.gondribalart.org was set up in order to address some of the key issues that plague the artists. We aim to address the inequalities in the accrual of benefits from this art. We seek to achieve higher realisations for the artists themselves, in recognition for their hard work, skills, expertise and dedication. We aspire not only to help the artists break out of the cycle of poverty, but to rejuvenate this magnificent craft and make it soar. We are a non-profit organisation that strives to ensure that Gond art gets the exposure and acknowledgement it deserves. Objectives: ∗ Boost the sales of Gond art through an online platform ∗ By connecting customers directly to the artists, eliminate the need for middlemen and realize a greater share of the selling price for the Gond artists in respect of their creations ∗ Deliver these valuable works at reasonable prices directly to end-customers, thereby benefitting both the artists and their clients ∗ Promote Gond art to younger generations in the region, preserve this for our future generations to derive joy from.
Behind the Scenes
Neville Turel, Resort Manager of the Shergarh Tented Camp at Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh is the lynchpin of this social enterprise. A passionate lover of art, he acts as the bridge connecting the outside world with the Gond tribal artists. He liaises with the artists and encourages them to participate in this website, thereby gaining a larger audience for their wonderful creations. This website has been constructed by Shloka and Karan Jaisingh, high school students in Singapore, who fell in love with the vibrancy of Gond paintings while on a holiday in Kanha. They were touched by the simplicity of the artists and the ardours they faced - the artists had traveled 200 km on a motorbike to reach the resort in Kanha, in order to market their paintings to tourists.