Press Release
As a part of the ongoing ‘Raza Parv-2021’ organized by Jawahar Kala Kendra (JKK) and The Raza Foundation, Delhi, a seminar based on ‘Mr. Raza’s Art with Special Reference to his Paintings on Rajasthan’ was held in Rangayan at JKK. The eminent panellist spoke in-depth about S.H. Raz’s art style with a special focus on his paintings titled ‘Rajasthan’. The seminar was attended by – Vice-Chancellor, Haridev Joshi University of Journalism and Mass Communication, Jaipur, Shri Om Thanvi; poet and writer, Shri Udayan Vajpeyi; artist, Shri Akhilesh; art historian and art critic, Dr Geeti Sen and art curator, Ms Jesal Thacker. Managing Trustee, The Raza Foundation, Mr Ashok Vajpeyi was also present on the occasion.
Shri Om Thanvi said that the seminar aims to unearth Raza’s relationship with Rajasthan. His work has a special characteristic in which he does not make it obvious what he has drawn. He leaves room for the viewer’s eye to discern their own meaning of what the painting represents.
Shri Ashok Vajpeyi said that nature played a very significant role in Raza’s life. He appreciated the beauty of nature during the day and the feared nightfall. He conquered this fear of nightfall through nature’s beauty. He was always interested in collaborating with young artists.
Shri Akhilesh said that Raza’s paintings have never been representational. They are also inspired by miniature paintings especially in terms of composition. He understood the behaviour of colour so well that when he used red it was a thing of beauty and not fear.
Shri Udayan Vajpeyi said that two types of paintings are being done in the world one representational and the other which has no relation to the artist or his surroundings. Raza gifted a new Rajasthan through his paintings to the people, the colours of which expressed his longing for Rajasthan. The emotions of Rajasthan are elaborated through the colours in his paintings.
Ms Jesal Thacker said that in Raza’s paintings, landscape has been shown as love and longing, gesture, speed, luminosity, mood, celebration and symbolism. Similarly, Ms Geeti Sen said that Raza’s paintings are not geographical evocations of Rajasthan but they are moods that evoke a metaphor of Rajasthan.