Labour of Living in Gond by Sandeep Dhurve

Master artist Sandeep Dhurve's profound Gond painting, "Labour of Living," is a powerful and satirical narrative centered on a large, stylized tree. The artwork, with its intricate patterns and earthy palette, serves as a cosmic stage from which a range of animal-human hybrid characters emerge.

These personified figures ascend from the roots, each a protagonist in its own story, symbolizing the foundational work of life. Dhurve's composition offers a fascinating commentary on human occupations by attributing animal traits to human roles: a crow represents the scavenger, a parrot embodies the pursuit of wisdom, a fox-like figure in an orange dhoti showcases a clever person's ability to survive, a horse symbolizes hard work, a donkey in a suit embodies the toiling corporate employee, a bull represents the hardworking farmer, and an ant signifies hard work and effectiveness.

At the base of the tree, a meditating human figure sits, representing a point of spiritual connection and the ultimate goal of life: inner peace. The entire scene is set against a textured, light brown background and is surrounded by small birds, further connecting the narrative to the natural world. This Gond painting is a philosophical work that explores the relationship between humans and animals, the natural world, and the various roles we play in life, all through the unique and intricate visual language of the Gond tradition.

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Frames shown are for visual representation only and are not included with the artwork. We offer framing services on demand at additional framing and shipping costs.

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All artworks on the website are hand painted from scratch by our master artists. This makes every artwork absolutely unique and the actual colour and overall artwork may vary slightly from the artwork image posted here.