The Master Returns

Six years after his last exhibition, S H Raza returns to Mumbai for an extensive solo.

At the Jehangir Art Gallery in Kala Ghoda, there is a flurry of activity. Seated amid it all is a 90-year-old man who obliges the shutterbugs as they photograph him from every possible angle. When an artist of Syed Haider Raza's repute returns with an extensive solo show after six years to a city where — he believes — it all began for him, everyone takes notice. The show, titled "Vistaar", opened to the public on November 28 and will be on till December 3. It will then move to the Art Musings gallery, Colaba, where it will be on till January 10.

Besides the collection of recent works — which, he says, were done in the last six-seven years and represent the bulk of his "artistic experience in France and India" — the show also has a retrospective section that will showcase one work from each decade of his career. "I'm more than happy to be able to present 60-70 years of my research and work in Mumbai," he says.

Sangeeta Chopra, co-owner of Art Musings, which is responsible for setting up this show, adds, "We wanted the viewer to get a glimpse into Razaji's artistic journey and have, therefore, exhibited an intimate selection of early works." A video of an interview of the artist will also run on loop.

In 1950, Raza moved to France to study, and not long after, made Paris his adopted home. Yet, he maintains, as opposed to becoming European, his work only became more Indian. "My work evolved from being subjective to spiritual to abstract," he says, adding that he became interested in Indian ethnography during his years in Paris. As a result, the bindu — essentially a term meaning 'dot' — became a regular feature in his works and continues to be his most recognisable motif.

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