Mayank Singh Shyam (b. 1987) is an acclaimed Gond artist known for his unique contemporary depictions of modern cities, while incorporating aesthetic traditions of his community. Born to famous Gond artists Jangarh Singh Shyam and Nankusia Bai, Mayank was initiated into the art practice by his father. 

The Gonds have several myths about the origin of life, with myriad characters. The most important one, ‘How the World Began’, indicates their belief in the pervasive presence of water in the ‘beginning’ and the life-giving and life-sustaining qualities of trees. A segment of the story focuses on how Bada Dev (Great God), with the help of the earthworm and others, gathered enough earth to apply it as a sheet on water to form ‘land’. Mayank illustrates this myth using a predominantly aquatic scene, where you begin to see a separation of life in the sea and on land, with fish representing marine life.