The book launch of "A-Drishya conversation with Indian Famous contemporary Artist Hemraj

India Telling Invites you to the book launch function "A-drishya" published by India Telling in collaboration with Dhoomimal Gallery, New Delhi. Hem Raj's paintings stand out in the contemporary art world for their immense energy, artistic depth and their unique way of using colours.All possibilities remain open within his world of colours. His paintings seem to be making a humble request to see/taste them in fullness.

The debate over the tangible -intangible in art has been going on for a long time. Art writers-critics in particular find it convenient to express themselves through such classifications, in order to explain various aspects of the visual arts. But in my view, such classifications make no sense in terms of experience and taste.

Key Points of the event:

Date : 15th October 2022  

Time : 6:00 pm 

Venue : Dhoomimal Gallery, G-42, Connaught Place, New Delhi - 110001

Red a colour of sadness

When Ramkumar, an eminent contemporary Indian artist of international repute who gave abstraction a distinctly indigenous character, was asked about the gloomy colours of his paintings, he said, "I think red can also be sad... these red, and green colours etc. came to me spontaneously. In the same manner, abstraction took the place of figures at one time."

In the same interview, Ramkumar, also underlined the possibility of the figures in abstraction being pervaded in a subtle form, while describing the debate of the tangible and abstract as meaningless, "With the disappearance of the figures (in his paintings) it was not that they were totally gone. The debate of shape and abstraction seems to be fruitless at times. There are figures in Francis Bacon's paintings, but do we recognize them only by drawings? "

Hem Raj's Allegorical painting

Hem Raj also made allegorical paintings initially. He sees this journey from the tangible to the intangible as a spontaneous process and development of the artist, ‘‘When I started painting, I used to do figure drawings. Portrait was my subject. My realistic art is very good. But slowly I moved towards abstraction automatically. I didn't make any effort for this. It happened by itself. Like a plant goes on growing. The shoots sprout, the leaves come out, and then the branches go on forming. Then one day that plant becomes a tree. It is loaded with flowers and fruits. It is his 'Destiny'. I didn't try or plan to make an allegorical or abstract drawing. Like I said earlier, it just happened on its own. I see it as the 'growth' of the artist.’’

Hem Raj's art language is also different in the sense that in many of his series of paintings there is a distinctive presence of figures in abstraction. He also says, "I doubt I am an abstract artist in the definitional sense. I just know that I am an artist. I have been painting for years. I will continue to do so." 

Talk on Abstract Art

It is also ironic that when there is talk of abstraction in art, it is felt as if it were an inertial or immutable condition, like any theory of mathematics, whereas in any such discussion, it is important to see and feel time, space and emotion of the artist. Hem Raj discusses his sense of abstraction in this way, “I have nothing to do with the period and spirit in which abstract art began in the West. I listen to Sufi music while I paint. Especially the qawwali of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan or the Sabri brothers… I listen to their tunes and get impressed by the rhythm. And the feeling that happens during that time (many times) comes down to my art. Abstract artists of the West, whether it was Vasily Kadinsky or anyone else, did not listen to Sufi music. Nor did Sufi music contribute to the process of their creation. Then how can I be an abstract artist in their sense? 

Considering that it is indispensable for painting to be neutral, Hem Raj says, ‘‘I think in this process one has to remove himself. You have to keep yourself neutral. Like a car is in neutral gear. You have to be neutral. You have to know that you are just a medium in the process. Like a brush is a medium through which we paint. Suppose, the brushes start jumping, then who can paint! Just like a brush, you have to be calm.’’  

Hem Raj's Thought process

Hem Raj has a deep understanding of the forms. These forms are made up of colours and a beautiful combination of colours and shapes sometimes. His paintings evoke a unique experience in their treatment of colour, the formation of shapes, tones and textures. His paintings are about wait and leisure. A certain kind of artistic neutrality beyond the nonlinearity is seen in his paintings creating a polymorphic landscape.

It is hoped that this first book of the art-dialogue series of 'India Telling' will be welcomed with open arms by a large section of literary-artistic readers.