'Antima’ at Triveni Kala Sangam showcases over 60 works by Sayed Haider Raza, one of India’s most influential modern artists. Curated by the Raza Foundation, this exhibition, meaning ‘final’ in Hindi, offers a rare glimpse into Raza’s final phase of artistic and spiritual exploration, spanning from 2010 until his passing in 2016.
The exhibition is divided into three sections: canvases, works on paper, and an exploration of Raza’s evolving themes of Prakriti Purush and Bindu. It provides an intimate look into how Raza’s vision deepened in his later years, distilling a lifetime of contemplation into vibrant colours and forms. His signature geometric abstractions, especially the Bindu, represent the genesis of creation.
Some canvases revisit his early landscape period, while others delve into geometry and symbolism, reflecting his spiritual and philosophical inclinations. For him, geometry and symbolism was born out of a certain sense of meticulousness and mathematical precision.
Strokes of memory
The painter’s masterful use of colour was not just an artistic choice but a reflection of his inner world. His canvases pulse with vibrant reds, fiery oranges, radiant yellows, balanced by deep blues and muted greens. Art critic Uma Nair observes, “For him, it was also about combining the beauty of experience and his own memories.” Raza’s palette was infused with fragments of his past. For instance, The ‘Tree’ (2014) pays homage to Raza’s childhood in Kanha National Park, where his father worked as a forest ranger. The piece blends bold brown and green hues with abstract representations of nature, revisiting Raza’s earlier European landscapes while reflecting deeply personal memories of his formative years amidst the forests.
Raza’s deep engagement with memory also intertwined with his love for literature, particularly poetry, which seamlessly flowed into his canvases. His work harmoniously blended poetry, literature, and philosophy and lines from poets like Kabir Das and Tulsidas found their way into his work. “Even a fragment of a line was enough for him,” Nair says, highlighting how poetry sparked ideas in Raza’s mind. “When you think of the foundation of Raza’s evolution and his thoughts, everything begins with that—very subtle things like poetry, the beauty of literature, and philosophy.”
An example is his untitled acrylic work in the exhibition, inspired by verses from Tulsidas’s Vinaya Patrika. The piece features the lines “Kesav! kahi na jaye ka kahiye,” written in black across an orange background, with a large black dot (Bindu) placed above.
The Bindu
The Bindu, one of Raza’s most enduring symbols, is central to the exhibition through works like ‘Mangal Kamna,’ ‘Swasti,’ and ‘Tanmay.’ This simple but profound mark represents the genesis of creation, the point of origin from which everything emanates. Raza’s engagement with the Bindu evolved over the years, becoming a powerful and deeply spiritual motif in his later works. As Nair puts it, “For Raza, the bindu was not just a shape—it was silence, sound, the universe itself.”
In ‘Tanmay’ (2015), one of Raza’s final works, the Bindu becomes the focal point. This piece, the final work from the ‘Shanti Bindu’ series, marks a shift in Raza’s artistic vocabulary. Unlike earlier works, which featured complete, unbroken circles symbolising peace and harmony, ‘Tanmay’ features a fragmented Bindu; it speaks to the turbulent world Raza was living in, with wars and political unrest marking the global landscape. The fragmented Mandala in this piece symbolises the tension between the ideal and the real, offering a poignant reflection on the imperfection of the world.
In the ‘Tree’ (2014), the Bindu subtly takes the form of a black sun, representing the essence of nature. Nair explains, “The nights of the forest, the sounds, the glimpses, the fragments— it all comes together. The Bindu becomes the black sun; the dot never leaves him.”
‘He painted to live’
Raza’s work, while rooted in the Progressive Artists Group, stood out due to his unique approach. Nair explains, “The Paris experience allowed his work to carry an international signature that transcended local influences,” she says. His landscape art, according to Nair, was not just about visual representation but “about bringing in what belongs to the world”.
‘Antima,’ curated by the Raza Foundation, pays tribute to the final years of Raza’s life. These works exhibit Raza’s “yearning for perfection but also for freedom, a liberation from his own conventions,” says Ashok Vajpeyi, the managing trustee of the Raza Foundation, Even in the final days of his life, Raza’s deep commitment to art was evident, as seen in the unfinished black-and-white canvas on display at ‘Antima.’ “He lived to paint, and painted to live,” Vajpeyi concludes, emphasising how Raza bridged the gap between life and art in his final works.
‘Antima,’ is on at Triveni Kala Sangam, Mandi House, until February 22, 11 am-8 pm