Bhopal – Venkata Raman, who started his painting journey in Madhya Pradesh 36 years ago, considers life as a complete phase. The artist worked odd jobs to get his food, but today, he paints modern Gond art around the world which can be seen at the Los Angeles Country Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Ottawa, and the Queensland Art Gallery.
Venkata Raman grew up in the Gondwana land of Sijora in Madhya Pradesh. He states that Gond art was once called Bhiti Chitra (wall painting) because it was done on walls and it was only later that it came to be known by its present name Gond art. Raman used to replicate village scenes on paper and sometimes on walls. He could never get formal education.
