Nankusiya Shyam

Nankusia Shyam is an Indian artist associated with the Gond tradition of painting, whose work draws inspiration from the natural world and the landscapes of her childhood. She grew up in Sonpuri, Madhya Pradesh, where the surrounding forests, plants, and wildlife shaped her visual imagination. She began learning to paint through her husband, the celebrated Gond artist Jangarh Singh Shyam, initially assisting him by filling in figures within his compositions before developing an artistic practice of her own.

Shyam’s paintings reflect the distinctive visual language of Gond art, characterised by vibrant colours, rhythmic patterns, and intricate detailing. Flora and fauna frequently occupy the centre of her compositions, rendered through carefully arranged lines, dots, and decorative motifs that convey the vitality and interconnectedness of the natural environment. Drawing on memories of rural life and her close relationship with the landscape, she transforms familiar plants and animals into expressive compositions that balance traditional imagery with individual interpretation.

Her work has been exhibited in India and internationally, including in Dubai, Japan, and Sri Lanka, and has appeared in publications such as Bulli and the Tiger. In 2002, she received the Hasta Shilpa Vikas Nigam Award from the Government of Madhya Pradesh in recognition of her artistic contribution. Based in Bhopal, Shyam continues to develop a practice rooted in Gond visual traditions, bringing the richness of Indigenous artistic expression to wider audiences.