Saluting the master, SH Raza

The great master SH Raza celebrates his 87th birthday on Sunday in Mumbai. And he plans to have a quiet get together in the evening. Talking about his art works through the years, he very candidly announces, “All those who have my works that were made prior to the 1950s should tear them and throw them in the dustbin. Those works are of no value according to me. Only post 1950, after I met people like Gaitonde, MF Husain, Tyeb Mehta, is when my works became more substantial. In fact, my works done post the 1980s are of some value. According to me, that is when I started evolving as an artist.” 

While blowing the candle on his birthday cake, Raza shares his birthday wish with us, “I wish that I can enjoy the music of colour even more so and can paint a few more paintings that are inspired by Indian culture.” The artist, who has been living in France since the last 59 years, claims that he has spent 50 years researching more about Indian culture, and has tried to portray the greatness of this vivid and intelligent culture in most of his art works. “By being away from India, I have come more close to it. I have spent my days reading and researching more and more about our country. I think I have become more Indian in France,” smiles.  

Raza also expresses his desire to complete an ambitious project of making a cultural centre that he is working on at present. “The cultural centre is called Ekath. As of now, it is housed in a humble three bedroom house in New Delhi, but it will soon be a centre that will be spread over a huge place in either Delhi or Bhopal. This centre will promote art, dance, and music and also invite thinkers and philosophers that can produce profound works on Indian art and culture.” 

He doesn’t wish to stop at that though. “Indian art has definitely found its footing in the global art scene, but there is a lot that has to be done. Foremost is to stop taking art as business. I hate it when people stare at a work for three minutes and ask me how much I will sell the work for. These collectors will not even discuss the painting and will re-sell it in a span of three days. This business is leading to very unfortunate practices. It was very disheartening to see that at an exhibition in Delhi, all the 34 art works that claimed, were made by me were fakes. The person who was involved in getting these art works was my relative. I hope artist concentrate on creating something good without thinking of money.”