Painted in 1983, Saurashtra is a seminal work that belongs to a key period in Raza's career when, after many years working within the styles of the Ecole de Paris and Abstract Expressionism, his artistic path brought him full circle and he began to integrate vital elements of his Indian childhood and cultural heritage into his paintings. At the root of Raza's paintings lies a strong tie to nature and to the forests of Madhya Pradesh where he was born. Though his works from the 1980s and 90s are far from representational, the concept of nature remains pervasive and integral to their composition. Adopting a codified and symbolic language, Raza uses specific shapes and colours to represent different aspects of the natural world making the works intrinsically representative. In this particular work, the elements are depicted with a powerfully expressive brushstroke that at once combines the beauty of the Gujarati coastal landscape with the unabashed appreciation of its arts. Raza's extensive travels within the region have influenced this mature body of work, as mementoes of his journeys from the mirror-work embroideries to the remnants of Rajput miniatures and Jain manuscripts, are often seen strewn across his studio.Saurashtra is thus an amalgamation of the numerous themes Raza embarked upon throughout his decades-long career and serves as a transitional bridge into his structured geometric works characteristic of his most recent body of painting.
Re: For the un-initiated
by genius black on Jun 12, 2010 07:24 AM
As someone educated at top universities in the world, let me call your bluff. Raza's painting means nothing, and its fanciful stuff that people like you make up that makes this all 'valuable'. My education @ Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Yale might still render me 'unitiated', but I am happy to be that way... instead of showering false praise on simplistic art.
Re: For the un-initiated
by genius black on Jun 12, 2010 07:22 AM
Interesting that thoughtful rejoinder automatically merits moderator review, while Rediff constantly publishes thinly veiled ads as headline news. Interesting.
Re: For the un-initiated
by shekhar deshpande on Jun 11, 2010 01:04 PM
...continued...located at the far right is the Bindu-seed motif in its germinating stage. Conjuring at once landscape and nature, gesture and expression, and geometry and spiritualism altogether in one canvas, Saurashtra epitomises one of Raza's largest and most ambitious canvases to date.
Re: Re: For the un-initiated
by Ultapulta on Jun 11, 2010 08:04 PM
shekhar i will send u paintings done by some students of 'hobby classes' in a neibouring institute. please do write something about them also.u are too good in writing. Please send your address.
Re: my 3 Year old Son
by Partha Das on Jun 11, 2010 01:04 PM
You think so. Get some colours and a brush...and just paint... Simply paint anything.. Then look at it... Then look how horrible it would look. Its not that easy you see!!!
is it painting.. guys my daughter (studying in UKG) has made paint like this so many... can someone sale this painting and get me 1 crore ..I'll be more than happy.... Raja Sir...why u wasting ur time..please get some painting from my daughter and save ur time...give me only 10% of total sale...please sir please..I'm wasting my time in IT & computer
The Person who is buying should be mad or he or she should be having black money or they don't no the value of money. So much of money for few sq. feet of colour board.
