This work, done in 1981 suggests a blend of Raza’s two distinctive styles of paintings, one being his gestural brushwork, and other being his Abstractionism. He had set foot in Mumbai in 1943, studied art at J. J. Is it true he founded India's most radical art movement? The latest market performance and intelligence report on S H Raza for informed buying and selling decisions. Oil on canvas. Sayed Haider Raza is one of the most prominent and groundbreaking Indian painters of his generation. Sold for $1,930,500 on 15 September 2010 at Christie’s in New York. In an effort to translate emotion and thought into image, art by S. H. Raza often depicted the concentric circle, or ‘Bindu.’ Sacred in its symbolism, the Bindu represents the seed’s potential for life. Sold for $4,452,500 on 21 March 2018 at Christie’s in New York. He was conferred with the Commandeur de la Legion d'honneur on 14 July 2015. S.H. (S.H. Husain, S.H. Where Stella wanted to eradicate any sense of the spiritual from his work, however, Raza looked to infuse his with it. Back in the 1970’s, while Raza was still living in France, he travelled frequently to India, and visited the Ajanta … Sayed Haider Raza (1922-2016), Saurashtra, 1983. - S. H. Raza La Terre by celebrated Indian modernist Sayed Haider (S. H.) Raza is a work that hails from a pivotal point in the artist's more than half a decade career. Sold for $187,500 on 20 March 2019 at Christie’s in New York, Get the best stories from Christies.com in a weekly email, *We will never sell or rent your information. Broadly speaking, its adherents advocated combining an avant-garde style (Fauvist colours, Cubist forms and/or Expressionist brushwork) with Indian subject matter. Look! ‘We lived near the source of the Narmada river in the centre of the dense forests of Madhya Pradesh. Find more prominent pieces of abstract at Wikiart.org – best visual art database. School of Art but destiny failed but had soon joined Block Maker’s Studio … Sayed Haider "S. H." Raza (22 February 1922 – 23 July 2016) was an Indian painter who lived and worked in France since 1950, while maintaining strong ties with India. Estimate: $350,000-500,000. Raza’s most iconic symbol, one that featured in many of his artworks made during the last three decades of his life. ‘It’s the centre of my life,’ he said in 2010. Interestingly, Raza’s art and creation also began with the Bindu. For older students, I usually don’t show them Raza’s “Peace” series and his colour palette until they have finished. Oil on canvas. He was awarded the Padma Shri and Fellowship of the Lalit Kala Academi in 1981, Padma Bhushan in 2007, and Padma Vibhushan in 2013. After the introduction of the Bindu, Raza added newer dimensions to his work in the following decades, focusing on many different metaphysical ideas. Artist Amrita Sher Gil made this painting in 1933. I was impressed by paintings from Basholi, Malwa, and Mewar, and began combining colours in a manner that echoed Indian miniature painting." His tryst... Powered by curious people and lots of coffee! Even today I find that these two aspects of my life dominate me and are an integral part of my paintings.’, Sayed Haider Raza (1922-2016), Village en Fête, 1964. 62⅞ x 74⅜ in (159.7 x 188.9 cm). In addition to numerous solo shows in galleries around the world, his work has been included in international exhibitions in cities such as New York, Washington D.C., and Oxford, at the Royal Academy of Arts in London and at the Lalit Kala Akademi in New Delhi, and in the Biennales of Venice, Sao Paulo and Menton (France). Today, the 23rd of July 2017 marks the great artist’s first death anniversary, and this post was a tribute of sorts! Kite Flying : a cultural trend around the World! Raza married a French artist, Janine Mongillat, and returned to live in India only after her death in 2010. He was a founding member of the Progressive Artists Group in 1948 with M. F. Husain, K. H. Ara, F. N. Souza. 78¾ x 78¾ in (200 x 200 cm). It is therefore no surprise that some of his works also reflect the Gandhian philosophy of “Peace”. Sayed Haider Raza's themes were drawn from his childhood memories spent in the forests of his native village of Babaria, in Madhya Pradesh. Each day, spend some time making a replica of the smaller squares. Some of his important works in which he used such inscriptions are ‘Kaliyan’ , ‘Sansara’,  ‘Amar Jiva’, ‘Aparna’ and ‘Bharata’. 6 Paintings by S.H Raza : Ideas & Activities, The State Entry into Delhi : Painting and Poetry at the…. Stay tuned for more information. Life begins here, attains infinity here”. S.H. Raza married a French artist, Janine Mongillat, and returned to live in India only after her death in 2010. Estimate: $120,000-180,000. In the 1970s, Raza grew increasingly dissatisfied with the direction of his works, and looked to find greater authenticity. They are sometimes compared to the paintings of American Abstractionist Frank Stella, renowned for his simple shapes, methodical repetition and minimalistic patterns. The Bindu or cosmic egg is a symbol of primordial genesis from which, in Hindu mythology, all Creation is born Click To Tweet. I hope you enjoyed this post on Raza and his art. Raza and F. N. Souza, though the group was dissolved in 1956, it was profoundly influential in changing the idiom of Indian art. Estimate on request. 24 x 19 ¾ in (60.9 x 50.2 cm). Aug 24, 2013 - S.H. Activity Suggestion: This activity is fun for families too! It has the related connotation in Indian philosophy of being the point of all creation; the source of space, time and consciousness. Featuring key works from the Piramal Art Collection, S.H. Raza Reasoned Catalogue. In his art, Raza explored themes of Prakriti (nature), Kundalini (primal energy), Tribhuj (triangle) and Bindu (circle/dot). On market day, under the radiant sun, the village was a fairyland of colours. Rooted in Raza’s childhood memories of life growing up in small and densely forested villages, Raza began to pursue his love of art at the Najpur Art School in his native India, before training at the prestigious, Sir J. J. Ask your child to write down their favourite lines from the stories or poems they read; then ask them to quote it in a painting they make! Piramal Museum of Art … I believe it’s really important to let the children connect with their bodies at an early age. Activity Suggestion: There cannot be a better way to teach your child about Gandhi. Eventually, he hit upon the bindu as a motif. "Raza`s paintings explore, through the definition of a few chosen signs of the circle, the square and the triangle, a sense of the infinite" (Geeti Sen, Bindu: Space and Time in Raza`s Vision, Media Transasia Ltd, New Delhi, 1997, p. 110). Syed Haider "S. H." Raza is an Indian progressive painter. Then have them paste the circles on top of each other according to size – the smallest being on top. By the 1970s, Raza was seeking a new artistic direction, and turned to his homeland for inspiration. On the first death anniversary of #SHRAZA here's a closer look into his art + activities https://t.co/XBvFbdUr03 for kids! About Artist. Sold for $3,105,000 on 18 March 2014 at Christie’s in New York. You could also get your child a lot of magazines and work on a collage inspired by the painting. You can get your children to create T-Shirts or Flags using this art technique. Raza’s 91st birthday, and he is treating art connoisseurs and admirers to his latest set of paintings in an exhibition called “Antardhwani” currently on at Vadehra Art Gallery. As well as the bindu, he rendered other aspects of Indian cosmology with geometric shapes: the complementary forces of male (purush) and female (prakriti ) energy, for instance, represented by upright and inverted triangles. I’ve tried this and it takes forever to get the painting right. School of Art in Bombay. The most celebrated of Raza art series has been the ‘Bindu’. He is also the recipient of the Prix De La Critique in the year 1956 by the French government and the Legion Of Honor (Commandeur de la Legion d’Honneur) (2015) which is the highest French civilian honour for his contribution to the field of art. He accepted a painting scholarship at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris in 1950. Pandit Ram Gopal : 3 things to know about India’s first…, In Paintings : Muharram and its rituals in 19th century India, India : through the lens of Henri Cartier-Bresson. Illustrated with superb examples of his work offered at Christie’s. Here a large black bindu occupies the central space in this work, surrounded by volatile, vibrating colours as in medieval paintings from Rajasthan. Here’s a  deeper look into the art and philosophy of S.H Raza : India’s most famous contemporary abstract artist including activities for children ! After relocating to France, he studied at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo Da Vinci, The Bindu or cosmic egg is a symbol of primordial genesis from which, in Hindu mythology, all Creation is born, From Lahore to Delhi: the journey of artist B.C Sanyal, In Paintings: The World of the Devgarh Painter Bagta, The Master Sculptor of India: Ramkinkar Baij. His Geometric Abstract works are a good example. 39¼ x 31¾ in (99.7 x 80.7 cm). Activity Suggestion: Make a start with this simple colouring sheet and fill it with as many triangles as possible. In the end, make the central black circle within square lines around. Activity Suggestion : For the small kids, you could let them cut paper-circles of different sizes. Sayed Haider Raza (1922-2016), Untitled (Village dans la Nuit), painted in 1957. Fill in the squares with different shapes (circles, triangles and more squares)! And then, the night again. Buy original paintings, sculptures, limited edition prints, and works of art for sale by S H Raza And Museum’s are usually the best place for this. Over the years, his paintings evolved from being purely expressionist landscapes to abstract ones. Activity Suggestion: This is my favourite with really small children because its sheer joy to see how they express their answers. The Salt Satyagraha and Dandi : when Gandhi marched towards freedom, MuseumJigsaw: My Childhood in Indore by M.F Husain. Offered in South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art on 11 September 2019 at Christie’s in New York, Sayed Haider Raza (1922-2016), Eglise, painted in 1959. Internationally, Raza paintings are owned by 19 museums including SanJose Museum of Art, Tao Art Gallery and Grosvenor Art Gallery. School of Art in Bombay. He had also been awarded the French Legion of Honour. To him, the “Bindu” represents the Navel – which he associates with the killing of Ravana (his favourite story). Offered in South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art on 11 September 2019 at Christie’s in New York. Raza, Artist Who Showed the Universe in a Single Bindu Undoubtedly the most celebrated of the Indian Modernists, Raza's work was one long meditation on being and nothingness. ‘It was so different from the insipid realism of the European School. As a young child, Raza was influenced by Gandhi who visited his village during the struggle for India’s Independence. Raza’s art is an example of how simple geometric shapes can convey powerful ideas. Raza at the SPEAR Art Museum. ‘The most tenacious memory of my childhood is the fear and fascination of Indian forests,’ Raza said in 2001. School of Art, Bombay for higher studies. Sayed Haider Raza (1922-2016), La Terre, 1985. School of Art in Mumbai. Sayed Haider Raza is one of the most prominent and groundbreaking Indian painters of his generation. Sayed Haider Raza was an Indian painter who lived and worked in France since 1950, while maintaining strong ties with India. Sayed Haider Raza (1922-2016), Untitled (Village dans la Nuit) , painted in 1957 . Divide the borders into 4 squares, so you have 12 small squares surrounding the big one (refer to the image below). 78¾ x 78¾ (200 x 200 cm). S H Raza who born in Babaria, (22 Feb 1922) central province of British India was one of the great artists from India. His enrollment at the Ecole Nationale des Beaux-Arts, Paris, was to be the turning point in his career. Somehow, these are my favourite and also my preferred wallpaper art . Raza's style evolved over the years - he began with expressionist landscapes, which became rigid, geometric representations of French towns and villages in the early 1950s, following his move to Paris. Interestingly, I’ve noticed they mostly come up with shades of yellow, and blue. While reading poetry, prose or anything thoughtful, Raza usually wrote down whatever inspired him. The tricky part is Space and Fire. The paintings of S.H. It has to be done without talking! The opening of this exhibition will coincide with our release of Volume I, 1939-1959 S.H. He saw the paintings of Post-Impressionists like Cézanne, Gauguin and Van Gogh, and began to use colour as a tool of construction, switching from gouache and watercolour to more tactile oil-based pigments. Privacy Policy, A primer on the Indian Modernist whose richly coloured canvases fused Western avant-garde ideas with the spirituality of his homeland. ‘The market recognises that this was a special artist who produced a number of first-rate works in a number of different styles across a long career,’ says Nishad Avari, specialist in South Asian Art at Christie’s. The forty-six tiles, laid in a geometric grid, represent the different phases of the sun. We are honored to announce that the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France will host a solo exhibition of S.H. He would live in Paris for the next 60 years, using it as a base from which to take painting trips across France (Brittany and Provence were favourite destinations). Raza was actively involved in art movements in pre-independent India. By the end of his life he had received many awards, including the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan (three of the four highest civilian honours from the Indian state). For the older kids (6-10 years), draw a circle in the within a square such that it touches each side of the square. Self Portrait – Amrita Sher-Gil. (@MedhaviGandhi) July 23, 2017. Is there a robust market for Raza’s work. It is these geometrical motifs that make him so relatable to even those who get intimidated by the thought of visiting a museum or art gallery. Oil on canvas. Syed Haider Raza was born in Barbaria (Madhya Pradesh, India) in 1922. SH Raza showcases Indian Contemporary Art online, with a collection of raza's indian artworks,Indian artist profiles, art guide,comprehensive art directory and an online art gallery Even as I write, I close a sentence with a dot and start a new one, following the dot. Raza: Traversing Terrains opens to the public from 24 June to 28 October 2018. He was born on the 22nd of February 1922 in a rural house in Babariya, Madhya Pradesh to a family of a forest ranger. Yes, Raza co-founded the Progressive Artists’ Group (PAG) in Mumbai in 1947, the same year that India gained independence. Write in to [email protected] for creative inquiry workshops at your Museum / School ! Understanding Raza’s art is to understand the deep-rooted spiritual philosophies that India has always propagated to the world. Description The ‘Bindu’ is master artist S.H. The 1940s were a turning point in Modern Indian art - the freedom movement in India had gained feverish momentum; the growing communal disharmony... …धाभाई सामो भाई लालो चितारो बखतो उभो…..(..Dhabhai, Bhai Lalo, and Chitaro Bakhato are standing…) This part of a lengthy inscription written in Devanagari script... Born into a poor barber's family in Bengal's Bankura district, Ramkinkar Baij is considered to be the "Father of Modern Indian sculpture”. He was born in Kakkaiya, Central Provinces, British India, which is now present-day Madhya Pradesh. No serious collection of South Asian art is complete without a healthy Progressive Artists’ Group contingent — and without Raza, certainly.’, (Detail) Sayed Haider Raza (1922-2016), Plein Soleil, 1961. During his training in France, Raza experimented with a variety of Modernist styles through landscape painting—first inspired by Expressionism, and later by geometric abstraction. He had moved to the city in 1943, and his early paintings include watercolours of its busy streets at different times of day and in different weathers. Syed Haider "S. H." Raza is an Indian progressive painter. The trick? The time for manuscripts and palm-leaf stories is gone by, but Raza’s manifestation of these philosophies will last forever. From the mid-1950s to mid-1960s, French landscape scenes dominated his work, characterised by gestural brushstrokes and an impasto application of paint. The upper part of the work, which is brighter, suggests the ascending movement of the circle. Every school makes it a point on October 2 to work on a “special event”, and this has been my way of integrating art with Gandhi’s teachings. Tapovan — meaning forest of meditation — fuses abstract, symbolic forms into a powerful expression of the mood and atmosphere of the Indian nightscape. Celebrate Janmashtami with these art games! Is it true that he was a big admirer of Rothko? In 1962, Raza was invited to teach at the University of California in Berkeley, where he worked with Sam Francis and fell in love with the work of American Abstract Expressionists, particularly Mark Rothko. Sayed Haider Raza (1922-2016), Tapovan, 1972. For young kids, his art can be understood in the context of how dots make our world – how kids themselves begin with join-the-dots, how a series of dots make a line, and finally what a dot means to them. The bindu is now widely regarded as Raza’s trademark. Makes me feel very Little-Prince-like, to imagine the possibilities. Sayed Haider Raza (1922-2016), La Terre, 1973. Estimate: $250,000-350,000. In 1970, Raza began to paint purely geometric forms, particularly the circle and the dot, which he likened to the idea of the bindu. Sayed Haider Raza (1922-2016), La Terre, painted in 1977. S. H. Raza Sayed Haider Raza was born in Babaria, Madhya Pradesh, to Sayed Mohammed Razi, the Forest Ranger of the district and Tahira Begum, and it was here that he spent his early years and took to drawing at age 12; before moving to Damoh at age 13, where he completed his school from Government High School, Damoh. Raza in the early 1980s, suggesting a blend of his two distinctive styles of paintings, one being his gestural strokes, and other being his Abstractionism. Yes. It took the form of a perfect circle, which appeared regularly in his paintings thereafter. While drawing from memories of childhood spent in the forests he has also been inspired by Indian metaphysical thought. Activity Suggestion: Make a start with this simple colouring sheet and fill it with as … Offered in South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art on 11 September 2019 at Christie’s in New York, Yes. Raza began to pursue his love of art at the Najpur Art School in his native India, before training at the prestigious, Sir J. J. Raza perceived the Bindu as the centre of all creation and existence, stating that “Bindu is a source of energy, source of life. Sayed Haider Raza, “S H Raza” is one of the most respected Modernists of India and is celebrated for his range of styles and the uniqueness of his vision. The first time I decided to introduce the art of S.H Raza to children, I was unsure on how I would be able to get a bunch of 6-8 year olds to interpret the “abstract”. He wrote these notations in his paintings. Raza was born in a village of Madhya Pradesh and from a young age was drawn to art. Instead, he was fascinated with landscapes, with which he began his career. 74⅜ x 74⅜ in (189 x 189 cm). Derived from the Indian concept of “Shunya” – the abstract of nothingness and yet that which has the ability to add value to whatever it is affixed to. Sold for $1,859,750 on 20 March 2013 at Christie’s in New York. Did Raza’s work bridge traditions of Indian and Western art? ‘Ankuran’ was created in 1987 by S. H. Raza in Abstract Art style. More than a dozen of his works have surpassed the $1 million mark at auction, including Tapovan  from 1972, which broke the artist’s world auction record when it sold for more than $4.5 million at Christie’s in New York in March 2018. 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