S.H. Raza

About the artist and his life with art

1. S.H. RAZA Full Name: Sayed Haider Raza Date of Birth:  February 22, 1922 Place of Birth:   Babaria , Central Provinces, British India Date of Death:   July 23, 2016 Place of Death:  New Delhi, India Profession:   Painter Spouse:  Janine Mongillat Father:   Sayed Mohammed Razi Mother:   Tahira Begum Awards & Recognition:  Padma Vibhushan , Fellowship of the Lalit Kala Akademi , Commandeur de la Legion d'honneur One of the most distinguished artists of the Indian subcontinent, Sayed Haider Raza , simply known as S.H. Raza , is famous for his usage of rich colors in all his portrays. S.H . Raza was born in 1922, in the present day state of Madhya Pradesh. He grew up with his four brothers and a sister. Raza developed liking towards painting at the tender age of 12. Understanding his love for arts, his parents allowed him to pursue his dream and even laid the foundation by enrolling him at different Art Schools Though he settled down in France in the early 1950s, he continued to represent Indian art by incorporating Indian philosophy and Indian cosmology in his works. Throughout his career, he had mainly used oil and acrylics for his paintings, which highlighted Indian ethnography . He also incorporated the Indian concepts of space and time, which was a huge hit among French, Indian and other art lovers worldwide. In 2010, a seminal work of his titled ‘ Saurashtra ’ was sold at a Christie's auction for an impressive ( Rs . 16.42 crore ), making him one of the priciest modern artists of India. For his immense contribution in the field of art, S.H. Raza was honored with India’s second highest civilian award, Padma Vibhushan in the year 2013. 

2. EDUCATION:- After spending most of his childhood in Babaria , Raza moved to Damoh at the age of 13 ,he completed his formal school education there at a Government High School . He received his formal training in painting at the Nagpur School of Art (Nagpur). Thereafter, he learnt the nuances of oil painting at Sir J. J. School of Art, Bombay. During his stay at Sir J.J. School of Art, he co-founded the famous Bombay Progressive Artists’ Group, which would later go on to become an influential set of modern artists . S.H. Raza experimented with the Western Modernism, which was moving away from expressionism and towards abstraction . Thereafter, he moved to France in order to pursue his studies at the Ecole nationale superieure des Beaux-Arts of Paris. He was awarded with a scholarship from the government of France, which encouraged him to pursue his higher studies there in Paris . CAREER:- Initially, Syed Haider Raza’s paintings mainly revolved around expressionistic landscapes. His very first show was held at Bombay Art Society, even before he moved to France. Though he finished his education in 1953, he chose to remain in Paris, as he thought that his works would receive appreciation from the European art lovers. For this reason, he even travelled across most parts of Europe. In 1962, he started serving as a visiting lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley, USA. There, he influenced many American painters and taught them the nuances of incorporating interesting Indian elements into modern art. RETURN TO INDIA:- Seeking more inspiration and a whiff of fresh air, Raza returned to India in the 1970s, as he needed a new direction, not only in his work but also in his personal life. He visited many parts of the country including the majestic caves of Ajanta and Ellora . He even visited places like Gujarat, Rajasthan and Benaras . His search of something that would go on to play a major role in his works , finally came to an end after he realized that the ‘ Bindu ’ (a dot) that plays a significant role in Hinduism, is the source of creation and existence. In 2000, he started incorporating concepts like Kundalini energy and the Nagas in his works. He also focused more on incorporating stories of Mahabharata into his art works and paintings.

3. HIS STYLE OF PAINTING:- The paintings of S.H. Raza revolve mainly around nature and its various facets. Over the years, his paintings evolved from being purely expressionist landscapes to abstract ones. He believes the Bindu (dot) to be the center of creation and existence and his works reflect this particular thinking . Even though the vibrancy of his paintings had become subtle later on in his career, the dynamism remained as alive as ever . ACHIEVEMENTS:- A painting by S.H. Raza was reportedly sold for US $1.4 million at an auction held in December 2006. In February 2007, his works were exhibited in The Arts Trust - Institute of Contemporary Indian Art (Mumbai). Also, his works were displayed in a number of prestigious exhibitions all over India. AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS:- Padma Shree:  S.H. Raza was awarded the prestigious Padma Shree, India’s fourth highest civilian honor , by the Government of India in the year 1981.  Fellowship of the Lalit Kala Akademi :  In the year 1981, he was honored with this prestigious fellowship by the government of New Delhi.  Kalidas Samman :  In 1992-93, the government of Madhya Pradesh awarded him the Kalidas Samman , which is given every year for contribution towards arts. Silver Medal:  In 1946, he won a silver medal for one of his displays at the prestigious Bombay Art Society. Gold Medal:  Two years later, he went on to bag a gold medal at the same exhibition for one of his art works.  Lalit Kala Ratna Puraskar :  In 2004, he was honored with this prestigious award by Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi. Doctor of Letters:  The Indira Kala Sangit Vishwavidyalaya , Chhattisgarh honored him with D Litt in the year 2014. Commandeur de la Légiond ’ Honneur :  He was awarded the Legion of Honour by the government of France in the year 2015, for his immense contribution to the field of arts in France. D Litt :  He was once again honored with D Litt in 2015 by Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Padma Bhushan:  In 2007, the government of India honored him with the prestigious Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian award. Padma Vibhushan :  In 2013, he won the country’s second highest civilian award.

4. SOME OF THE S.H. RAZA’S PAINTINGS:- TRIBHUJ CITYSCAPE SHANTI BINDU KASHMIR VALLEY SRINAGAR DEATH:- On July 23, 2016 S. H. Raza breathed his last after battling for life at a local hospital in New Delhi.