Popular Gond art of Madhya Pradesh was revitalized with renowned contemporary artist Nawab Jehan Begum’s golden masterpieces. In 2022, Nawab Begum exhibited her mesmerizing works of nearly 17 Gond creations at the Kala Spandan Exhibition in Mumbai, a city that embraces culture and craftsmanship with open arms. Having a lineage of the royal family in Bhopal, she transformed this art, adding grandeur and glitz to a rustic form.
The solo exhibition focused on her exquisite artistry of 24-carat gold paintings along with rare calligraphy works in Hindi and Arabic. Nawab Jehan worked with liquid gold, which was highly appreciated by visitors. It marked a groundbreaking trend for the age-old tribal art of Madhya Pradesh, historically used to adorn the mud walls of villages.
If you are passionate about tribal art and want to explore the immaculate works of Nawab Jehan that blended the sophisticated aura and luxe of Mumbai with an indigenous tradition deeply rooted in ancestral heritage, follow us here.
A Brief About Gond Art
Originally, Gond art was practiced in Madhya Pradesh by the Pradhan subgroups. Not only in Madhya Pradesh, this art form is popular in Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, and some parts of Chhattisgarh. In earlier times, the Pradhan community travelled from place to place, sharing myths, stories, and cultural heritage of their community. They also practiced mural art on the walls during auspicious occasions and festivals, which later was recognized as Gond paintings. A new wave of experimentation transformed this 1,400-year-old art in the later part of 1980s, as artists like Jangarh Singh Shyam began creating Gond motifs on canvas under the guidance of J. Swaminathan.
The Journey of Gond Art from Wall to Canvas
It is fascinating how this vibrant tribal tradition adapted to these new mediums. Age-old tales of community customs and culture, such as intricate patterns of animals, trees, and deities, now came alive with brushstrokes on canvas and paper. The traditional mud walls showcasing intricate motifs painted with raw pigments now gave way to acrylic. In the 1980s, contemporary artists like Jangarh Singh Shyam, a Gond farmer and painter started using such modern materials, opening new vistas for this 1,400-year-old intricate art form that is deeply rooted in nature and folklore.
The Global Scenario: Gond Art on Canvas and Paper
After Jangarh’s untimely demise at the age of 39, his wife Nankusia Bai and his children Mayank and Japani Shyam continued the tradition. This cultural shift helped preserve the art beyond rural Madhya Pradesh and introduced it to the global art scene. Once a ceremonial art tied to seasonal village celebrations, it has entered international galleries and even virtual exhibitions as Gond art online. Its rhythmic patterns and storytelling continue to captivate collectors and contemporary audiences worldwide, now in a new medium.
Behind Nawab Jehan Begum’s Luxurious Golden Craft
Nawab Jehan belongs to Bhopal’s royal lineage, maybe this has been the driving force to create masterpieces with 24-carat gold. Jehan expressed that this was the first time that gold was used in this art form. Probably she tried to incorporate the royal style and grandeur in this folk craft and came up with the idea of using something spectacular. It’s her unique style of blending traditional forms with contemporary style and techniques. Nawab Jehan holds a master’s degree (MA) in Art and Painting. Her mother and professors in college have encouraged her in such artistic pursuits.
Using palette knives to create textured and layered effects in her intricate works, Nawab Jehan explores themes of cultural heritage and identity, blending tradition with contemporary techniques in her modern Gond art.
Spectacular Show of Contemporary Gond Art at the Exhibition
Nawab Jehan Begum’s contemporary Gond art stirred a sensation with her real gold display on canvases as large as 3×4 ft adding a new milestone in her career. In addition to brushes, she uses palette knives (sometimes kitchen knives) to build brilliant texture and depth in her artworks. Mixing modern abstract motifs with traditional Gond forms, her signature style was highly admired by elite visitors of Mumbai. Beyond visual brilliance, the merger of innovation and ritualistic patterns initiated new artistic dialogues in this solo exhibition held in Mumbai.
Mandana Art on Display
The solo exhibition showcased the spirit and skill of village womenfolk through Nawab Jehan’s breathtaking works of liquid gold Gond artworks and Mandana works, another popular mural painting from Madhya Pradesh. Other than her best Gond paintings, Jehan Begum displayed her tiranga (tricolour) Mandana creations in this Mumbai exhibition, which took her considerable time to finish.
Mandana designs are not as intricate as Gond; rather they show simple geometric patterns and floral motifs. In villages of Madhya Pradesh, women use red ochre, white chalk, and natural pigments to draw symbolic patterns on the mud walls. A seamless blend of spirituality and creativity is embedded in this unique form that honours beliefs and myths, while seeking blessings and benedictions.
Fusion with Other Art forms like Calligraphy
Nawab Jehan also featured some of her delicate calligraphy works in Hindi and Arabic alongside Gond and Mandana pieces.
Some paintings depicted patriotic themes in tricolour, with inscriptions such as ‘Jai Hind’ in 12 Indian languages – a remarkable achievement on gold-adorned canvases!
Jehan’s works were mostly centered on the themes of gender equality, environmental conservation, and the preservation of cultural heritage. They communicated meaningful messages through her large, intensive, and meticulously crafted pieces.
Convertible Artworks
An intriguing feature of her exhibition was the display of convertible artworks — pieces that could be rotated, flipped, or rearranged to create multiple compositions and diverse visual outcomes. This innovation added a dynamic, interactive element to the show.
Nawab Jehan’s Art Going Places: Taking Rural Art to the World Stage
Celebrated among the Indian art fraternity and international viewers, Nawab Jehan Begum’s Mandana art and best Gond art have travelled to various international exhibitions in the UK, Australia, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Maldives. She has received several awards and recognitions like the Yodha Award, Nari Shakti Award, Woman of Substance Award, and was crowned Pride of Madhya Pradesh in 2024. Her works are displayed at the Taj Lakefront Bhopal, Bhopal airport, and the Cymroza Art Gallery in Mumbai.
The solo exhibition in Mumbai became a significant milestone for Jehan Begum. Her passion and sincerity for preserving indigenous art forms got reflected in the master creations while it showcased her considerable technical skill and creativity. It demonstrated that preservation carries a wider meaning in the prevailing scenario — to be relevant in a world increasingly dominated by social media and global cultural exchange.
And Nawab Jehan did it with an extraordinary finesse and royal charm! She reclaimed the identity of the sacred mud-wall murals, bridging tradition with the contemporary indulgence of a cosmopolitan world through her dazzling masterpieces.