VELU, RAZA, AKKITHAM
December 05 - December 31 , 2024
In 1947 and 1948, two pivotal exhibitions were held at the Bombay Art Society Salon in Rampart Row, Bombay. The first showcased high-quality prints of artworks from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City, while the second featured various prints from European museums. Both exhibitions primarily displayed works by European modernist masters such as Pablo Picasso, Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, Paul Klee, and others. This exposure to European modernism likely inspired Sayed Haider Raza to pursue his artistic ambitions in Europe.
Raza arrived in Paris in October 1950 on a French government scholarship to study art. What began as a year or two of study extended into a profound transformation of his career. He enrolled at Ecole des Beaux-Arts and, by 1956, secured gallery representation for his work with Gallerie Lara Vincy, Paris. At the time, it was not uncommon for Indian artists, particularly members of the Progressive Artists' Group, to move to Europe. Ram Kumar and Akbar Padamsee had also relocated to Paris, while Francis Newton Souza settled in London. For Indian artists exploring modernist ideas, Europe was the epicenter of artistic innovation.
The Government College of Arts & Crafts in Madras (now Chennai) served the entire Madras Presidency, encompassing present-day Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh, almost until the 1970s. Many students from Kerala enrolled at the college, particularly during the 1950s and 1960s, when K.C.S. Paniker served as principal. Paniker was instrumental in fostering artistic talent, and was the visionary founder of the Cholamandal Artists’ Village in 1966. Among his students were Velu Viswanathan (born 1940) and Akkitham Narayanan (born 1939) who were both from Kerala.
Unlike their contemporaries in Bombay, few artists from Madras moved abroad to pursue their practice. However, Paniker’s encouragement and the opportunities through Cholamandal provided Velu and Akkitham with international exposure. This led both artists to move to Paris in 1967—Velu as India’s official selection for the Paris Biennale and Akkitham on the same French government scholarship that had brought Raza to Paris years earlier.
From India to Paris: Artistic Trajectories
In Bombay, Raza primarily worked with watercolors, focusing on landscapes. He also painted cityscapes and tourist spots for commercial calendars while receiving formal training. After completing his studies in Nagpur, he earned a diploma in painting from Sir J.J. School of Art, Bombay, in 1947.
Velu and Akkitham, on the other hand, were rooted in figurative art influenced by their native Kerala as well as the academic training of Madras. Their work reflected local craft traditions and spiritual practices, often drawing inspiration from tantric art and ritualistic symbolism. This connection to Kerala’s cultural heritage was a hallmark of their artistic identity while in Madras.
When Velu arrived in Paris, he quickly established contact with Raza, who offered guidance on navigating life in the city and critiqued Velu’s work. Although there is limited documentation on Velu and Akkitham’s interactions in Paris, it is likely they remained in close contact as classmates and expatriates in a foreign city.
Converging Paths in Abstraction
The intriguing comparison between these three artists—Raza, Velu, and Akkitham—forms the basis of this exhibition. By 1970, Velu and Akkitham had independently arrived at a refined form of geometric abstraction. In contrast, Raza transitioned to his iconic geometric abstraction, characterized by the “Bindu” series, only in the mid 1980s.
While it is speculative to determine the exact influence they had on each other’s practices, their shared artistic trajectory raises compelling questions. Did their migration to Paris, a city brimming with modernist influences, play a role in shaping their work? Additionally, their marriages to partners from different cultural backgrounds might have further broadened their perspectives and impacted their artistic evolution.
A New Conversation in Indian Modern Art
This exhibition opens a fresh dialogue about Indian modern art and its dual engagement with Western modernism and native traditions. By showcasing the works of Raza, Velu, and Akkitham, the exhibition invites viewers to draw comparisons, explore visual similarities, and appreciate how these artists represent the pinnacle of abstraction in Modern Indian art.
Text by
Ashvin E. Rajagopalan