UN climate change meet displays Gond arts of MP

Bhopal: Two Gond arts from Madhya Pradesh have found place among 16 artworks selected worldwide for display at the ongoing UN Climate Change Conference or COP 25 at Madrid in Spain.

The two Gond arts on display at the pavilion of the COP25 have highlighted importance of protection and preservation of environment to counter impact of an imminent catastrophic climate change in the world.

“Our tribe worships nature which we consider an integral part of our life. Gond art revolves round themes based on how lifestyle of our tribe is closely linked to nature,” Dilip Shyam whose painting depicting how cutting of trees may cause devastation to earth, has been on display at the conference, told this newspaper here on Wednesday.

The artwork shows the earth resting on a tree, drawn as ‘Sheshnag’, the mythical snake which carries the universe on its head, and a man armed with an axe advancing to cut it.

The other Gond art selected for display on the occasion was the work of Dhawat Singh.

The artwork highlights how a tree is important to sustain environment and climate.

“We are happy that Gond arts from MP have found place among 16 artworks currently on display at the ongoing UN Climate Change Conference at Madrid,” Nidhi Chopra of state tribal museum here told this newspaper.

“Gonds or any other tribal community worship jungle and now live in cities. They go back to their roots quite often and very closely see the changes in climate,” she added.

Gonds are primarily storytellers of their folklores and lifestyle. The storytelling art by Gonds has transformed in the last four decades, finding way to canvas. Gond art now finds place in famous galleries in the world,” Dikhya Tripathy, a connoisseur of tribal arts, told this newspaper.