Remembering the legend SH Raza

On Saturday July 23, one of modern India’s most legendary names, artist Syed Haider Raza passed away at the age of 94 in Delhi. Commonly known as SH Raza, he’ll be remembered for his folk art interpretations and diverse Indian aesthetics. We pay a special tribute to the maverick with this feature that was originally published in ELLE DECOR India’s April – May 2015 issue.

Like TS Eliot once said, ‘In my beginning is my end’,” elucidates Padma Vibhushan awardee Syed Haider Raza about his newest body of work titled Aarambh @ 93. Having used basic forms such as triangles, squares and rectangles in shades like green and blue that he earlier consciously shied away from, the veteran admits this is an exploration “to understand the realm of colour, creativity and memory”.  The iconic sphere he calls bindu reoccurs as a “still centre, a point of concentration, a source of energy and imagination”.

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