GOND
Known as the “hill people” in the Deccan Plateau region of central India, the Gonds are one of South Asia’s largest tribal groups. Because they live in hill and forest regions, their paintings often reflect nature, especially the sacred Saja tree, which serves as the focal point for their life stories. Given the insularity of their communities, their work is rarely exposed to larger audiences. Akshata commissioned five Gond artists to create paintings to be transposed onto dresses; each artist received an upfront fee for his or her original creation. Royalties from future sales will also be donated.