Artistic diary entries

A solo show of paintings titled “Lines and Colours” by abstract artist Ram Kumar displays an array of works in small format, done on paper with ink/pastel, over five decades. The show is being curated by well-known poet and art critic Prayag Shukla, a close associate of Ram Kumar, who has extensively written about the veteran artist in Hindi and English.

The exhibition focuses on and seeks to celebrate works that differ to a large extent from the bigger works done on canvas with oil and acrylic, and are singular in their approach and intent. Elaborating on the artist’s style of work Prayag says, “To study an artist who has moved seamlessly between figuration and abstraction is a rare incidence. Ram Kumar’s body of work addresses the conventions of Western Modernism while preserving a strong sense of his post-independence Indian identity. In this show, we get an idea of many-faceted figuratives and a more fluid style of the landscape in the following decades.”

It is an interesting exhibition as it showcases the journey of the artist through his artistic diary entries.

The works include traverses, paths, bridges, mountain-like heights and vistas of a mental cape (signifying landscapes as well) in all their dark, white, grey and bright hues. Prayag shares, “The drawings and pastel works are like diaries of the artist, literally done on Bahikhatas (account books) where a certain ‘contextual’ mood is charted, followed and spontaneously documented, leaf after leaf, in sensitive, live-wire like lines and colours, which are truly sensitising and illuminating.”

According to the curator, these works speak volumes about Ram Kumar’s delicate artwork. These drawings will take the viewers into a memorable, colourful journey with the artist and engage them with his thoughts and views towards life. Talking about one of the high points of the show, Prayag says, “As an artist Ram Kumar is known for his abstract works but in this exhibition you will see a few works wherein he has used figures of birds and animals, presenting an unusual mix of abstract and figurative work. Also, he is one of the few artists from his generation who still work with pastels and explores new avenues using this medium.”

In these small format works, which are of a rare kind and are largely unseen, the viewer is invited to absorb more intimately. They have directly come from the artist to the gallery, and range from the 1960s to the present. Ram Kumar excels in ink and pastels, and here we appreciate all the ingredients as much as we appreciate the content and intent of the works.

“The leafs of Bahikhatas, when seen both individually as well as collectively, whisper softly to us, in a communion which is willfully positive and brings to us a feel of the sublime and peaceful. The momentous churning of emotions and visual experiences here, marvel in a search for beauty and synergy, to enthrall and captivate our gaze for long”, shares the poet.

A traveling show, the exhibition will move to Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore in mid-March, and there is a concurrent show happening at Chennai too.