• Sayed Haider Raza

    Sayed Haider Raza was born in Babaria, Madhya Pradesh in the year 1922

    Sayed Haider Raza's early themes were drawn from his memories of a childhood spent in the forests of his native village of Barbaria, in Madhya Pradesh. Raza's style has evolved over the years - he began with expressionist landscapes, which became rigid, geometric representations of French towns and villages in the early 1950s, following his move to Paris. Later, the lines blurred and colour began to dominate; his theme was still landscape but it was now non-representational, speaking to the sentiment evoked by a place rather than its tangible aspects.

    In the late 1970s, the artist's focus turned to pure geometrical forms; his images were improvisations on an essential theme: that of the mapping out of a metaphorical space in the mind. The circle or "Bindu" now became more of an icon, sacred in its symbolism, and placed his work in an Indian context.

  • Education

    • 1950-53 Ecole Nationale des Beaux-Arts, Paris
    • 1943-47 Studied at Sir J.J. School of Art, Mumbai
    • 1939-43 Nagpur School of Art, Nagpur

  • Exibitions

    Selected Solo Exhibitions

    • 2015 'Aarambh', Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2014 'Pyas', Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2014 'Parikrama - Around Gandhi ', Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2014 'Paysage: Select Works 1950s-1970s', Sovereign FZE, Dubai
    • 2014 'Parikrama: Around Gandhi', Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2013 'Shabd-Bindu', Akar Prakar, Kolkata
    • 2013 'Antardhwani', Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2012-13 'Vistaar', Art Musings and Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 2012 The Arts Trust, Mumbai
    • 2012 'Bindu Vistaar', Grosvenor Gallery, London
    • 2011 'Punaragaman', Vadehra Art Gallery and Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
    • 2010 Raza Ceramiques, Galerie Flora J, Paris
    • 2010 Galerie Patrice Trigano, Paris
    • 2010 RL Fine Arts, New York
    • 2010 Akar Prakar, Kolkata
    • 2010 'Recent Works', Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2007 ‘Raza – A Retrospective’, Saffronart, New York in association with Berkeley Square Gallery
    • 2007 ‘Celebrating 85 Years of Living Legend S H Raza’, a Traveling Exhibition at Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, Mumbai, New Delhi organized by Aryan Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2006 'Selected Works of S H Raza', Peter Louis Gallery, Paris
    • 2006 ‘Rang Ras – S. H. Raza’, Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 2006 ‘Metamorphosis’, Aryan Art Gallery, Mumbai, Delhi and Hong Kong
    • 2005 Saffronart and Berkeley Square Gallery, London and New York
    • 2005 Aryan Art Gallery, Delhi
    • 2005 Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 2004 Aryan Art Gallery, Delhi
    • 2002 Jehangir Art Gallery, Sharan Apparao Gallery, Gallery Chemould, Mumbai
    • 1999 Gallery Art 54, New York
    • 1997 Le Parcons du regard, Oletta, Corsices, France
    • 1997 Galleri Grewal Mohanjeet, Paris
    • 1997 Roopankar Museum of Fine Arts, Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal; Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai; National Gallery of Modern Art, Delhi.
    • 1994 L’Artheque d’Enterprise, Group Michel Ferrier, Echirolle, Grenoble
    • 1992 Jehangir Nicholsan Museum, National Centre for Performing Arts, Mumbai
    • 1992 Parcours des Arts, La Louvesc, France
    • 1991 Galerie Eterso, Cannes
    • 1991 Retrospective 1952-91, Palais Carnles, Musee de Menton, France
    • 1990 Gallery Chemould, Mumbai
    • 1988 Gallery Chemould, Mumbai ; Galleri Koloritten, Stavanger, Norway
    • 1987 La Tete de l ’Art, Grenoble
    • 1985 Galerie Pierre Parat, Paris
    • 1984 Gallery Chemould, Mumbai
    • 1982 Galerie Leob, Bern, Switzerland
    • 1982 Galerie J.Y Noblet, Grenoble
    • 1980 Galleriet, Oslo
    • 1979 Stavanger Kunstforening, Norway
    • 1978 Jehangir Nicholson Museum, National Centre for Performing Arts, Mumbai
    • 1978 ‘Utsav’, Madhya Pradesh Kala Parishad, Bhopal
    • 1977 La Tete de l ’Art, Grenoble
    • 1976 Jehangir Art Gallery, Gallery Chemould, Mumbai ; Stavanger Kunstforening Galerie, Norway
    • 1975 Galleria Matuzia, San Remo, Italy
    • 1974 La Palette, Trouville
    • 1972 Abbaye du Pommier, Anncy, Le Grenier, Roquebrune-Village
    • 1969 Galerie Lara Vincy, Paris
    • 1968 Tecta Galerie, Dusseldorf, Germany; Gallery Chemould, Mumbai
    • 1963-68 Dom Galerie, Cologne, Germany
    • 1962 Worth Ryder Art Gallery, Berkeley, University of California, California, USA
    • 1962 Lanyon Gallery, Palo Alto, California
    • 1962 Galerie Dresdnere, Montreal
    • 1962-68 Galerie Dresdnere, Toronto
    • 1959 Jehangir Art gallery, Mumbai
    • 1959-1960 Galerie Dresdnere, Montreal
    • 1959 All India Fine Aarts and Crafts Society, New Delhi
    • 1958-61-62- 64 -67 -69 Galerie Lara Vincy, Paris
    • 1950 Charles Petras’s Institute of Foreign Languages, Mumbai

    Selected Group Exhibitions

    • 2014 'Immutable Gaze Part I: Masterpieces of Modern and Pre-Modern Indian Art', aicon Gallery, New York
    • 2013 'Ram Kumar and the Bombay Progressives: The Form and the Figure Part II', Aicon Gallery, New York
    • 2013 'Miniature Rewind 1', presented by Grosvenor Gallery, London for Art Dubai 2013, Dubai
    • 2013 'Ideas of the Sublime', presented by Vadehra Art Gallery at Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
    • 2013 'Nothing is Absolute: A Journey through Abstraction', The Jehangir Nicholson Gallery at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS), Mumbai
    • 2013 'The Discerning Eye: Modern Masters', Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2012 'Iconic Processions', Aicon Gallery, New York
    • 2012 'Extending the Line', Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2012 'Gallery Collection', Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2012 'Contemporary: A Selection of Modern and Contemporary Art', prsented by Sakshi Gallery at The Park, Chennai
    • 2012 'Through the Ages: South Asian Sculpture and Painting from Antiquity to Modernism', Aicon Gallery, New York
    • 2012 'Sightings', Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai
    • 2011 'Adbhutam: Rasa in Indian Art', Centre of International Modern Art(CIMA), Kolkata
    • 2011 'The Path of the Lotus: Indian Art', Grosvenor Gallery, London
    • 2011 'Modern Masters', Aicon Gallery, New York
    • 2011 'Form and Formlessness', Art Alive Gallery, Gurgaon
    • 2011 'POP: Progressives on Paper', Aicon Gallery, New York
    • 2011 'Anecdotes', Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai
    • 2011 'Masterclass', Dhoomimal Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2011 'Continuum', Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2010 'Besides Paris', Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata
    • 2010 'Paper Trails', Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2010 'The Progressives & Associates', Grosvenor Gallery, London
    • 2010 'From Miniature to Modern: Traditions in Transition', Rob Dean Art, London in association with Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 2010 'Above and Beyond', Aicon Gallery, London
    • 2010 'Masters of Maharashtra', collection from Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi at Piramal Gallery, National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai
    • 2009 'Bharat Ratna! Jewels of Modern Indian Art', Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
    • 2009 'Indian Art After Independence: Selected Works from the Collections of Virginia & Ravi Akhoury and Shelley & Donald Rubin', Emily Lowe Gallery, Hempstead
    • 2009 'In Search of the Vernacular', Aicon Gallery, New York
    • 2009 'Think Small', Art Alive Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2009 'Progressive to Altermodern: 62 Years of Indian Modern Art', Grosvenor Gallery, London
    • 2009,10 'Master Class', The Arts Trust, Mumbai
    • 2008 'Modern and Contemporary Indian Art', Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2008 ‘Freedom 2008 : Sixty Years After Indian Independence’, Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
    • 2008 'Magnificient Seven', Art Alive Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2007-08 ‘India Art Now: Between Continuity and Transformation’, Province of Milan, Milan, Italy
    • 2005 Ashta Nayak: Eight Pioneers of Indian Art', Aicon Gallery, New York
    • 2004 Aryan Art Gallery, Delhi
    • 2004 Art Musings, Mumbai
    • 2003 Des duos et des couples, Aixen Provence, France (with Pablo Picasso and Francoise Gillot)
    • 2002 Jane Woorhese Zimmerli Art Museum, New Jersey ; Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 2001,2002 Saffronart and Pundole Art Gallery, Metropolitan Pavilion, New York
    • 2001 ‘Indian Contemporary Fine Art’, Saffronart and Apparao Galleries, Los Angeles
    • 2001 ‘Symphony in White’, Gallery 7, Mumbai
    • 2001 ‘Cultural Ties’, Kapil Jariwala Gallery, London
    • 2000 Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and Smithsonian Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institute, Washington D.C.
    • 2000 Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan
    • 1999 Timeless Vision – Contemporary Art of India, Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, Massachusetts
    • 1999 Festival of Contemporary Art, ‘Energy’, Gallery 7, Mumbai
    • 1999 ‘The Turning Point’, Jehangir Art gallery, Mumbai
    • 1999 Salar de Mai, Paris
    • 1999 Apparao Galleries, Hong Kong
    • 1999 Apparao Galleries and Gallery Art 54, New York
    • 1999 Timeless Vision – Contemporary Art of India, Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, Massachusetts
    • 1998 ‘Spirit and Soul’, Indian Painting Today, Hong Kong
    • 1998 Gegenwatskunst aw Indian, Harsh Goenka, Bayer A.G. Leverkusen, Germany
    • 1998 ‘The Search Within’, Kloster Pernegg, Austria
    • 1998 National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai
    • 1998 ‘L’indracable frontiers’, Toulouse, France
    • 1998 International Exhibition, Lisbon, Portugal
    • 1997 ‘Indian Contemporary Art’, Fine Art Resource, Berlin
    • 1997 ‘An Ode to Independence’, Apparao Galleries, London
    • 1997 ‘Tryst with Destiny’, Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Mumbai
    • 1997 Singapore Art Museum
    • 1997 ‘Within The Frame’, Apparao Galleries, Hong Kong
    • 1997 The Moderns, The Progressive Artists Group, National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai
    • 1996 Progressive Artists Group, National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai
    • 1996 'Chamatkar', The Indian Metaphor, Whitleys Art Gallery, London
    • 1996 ‘Les Oceans’, Metropolitaine, Lisbon, Portugal
    • 1996 ‘Within The Frame’, The Gallery, Chennai,Visual Art Centre Hong Kong
    • 1996 Progressive Artists Group, National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai
    • 1996 'Chamatkar', The Indian Metaphor, Whitleys Art Gallery, London
    • 1995 ‘Sept Peintres Indiens Contemporains’, Le Monde de l’Art, Paris
    • 1995 Festival d’ Avignon, France
    • 1995 ‘Tree of my Life’, Village Gallery, Delhi
    • 1994 Salon de Mai, Espace Branley, Paris
    • 1993 ‘Wounds’, Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
    • 1993 ‘Indian encounter’, The Gallery, Nehru Centre, London
    • 1993 ‘Souvenir d’en France’, Lalit Kala Galleries, Delhi
    • 1991 ‘State of Art’, Paintings with Computer, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1991 Ceramics, ‘Faenza Anni 90’, Italy
    • 1990 L’Artotheque d’Entreprise, Group Michel Ferrier, Echirolle Grenoble
    • 1990 ‘Realite Seconde’, Galerie Ariane, Paris
    • 1989 Salon de Mai, Grand Palais, Paris
    • 1989 Artistes Indiens a Paris, Galerie Ariane, Paris
    • 1988 Maison de la Culture, Space Andre Malraux, Reims, France
    • 1988 ‘Art for CRY’, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Delhi
    • 1988 The National Museum of Contemporary Art, Olympiad, Seoul, Korea
    • 1987 Galerie La tete de l’Art, Grenoble
    • 1987 ‘Coups de Coeur’, Halles de L’ille, Geneva, Switzerland
    • 1986 ‘Indian Art Today’, The Philips Collection, Washington
    • 1986 “Contemporary Indian Art”, Chester Herwitz Family Collection, Festival of India, Grey Gallery, New York
    • 1985 Artistes Indiens en France, Foundation Nationale des Arts Graphiques et Plastiques, Paris
    • 1984 J. Y. Noblet, Paris
    • 1983 Salon de Mai, Paris
    • 1983 Bibliotheque Nationale, Luxemborg
    • 1982 ‘Contemporary Indian Art’, Royal Academy, London
    • 1982 “India, Myth & Reality”, Aspects of Modern Indian Art, Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, UK
    • 1981 Charlottenborg, Copenhagen, Denmark
    • 1980-86 Kunstnere, Fra Syd-Franksike, Stavanger Kunstforening, Norway
    • 1978 ‘Pictorial Space’, Lalit Kala Akademi, Delhi
    • 1978 Salon de Dessin, Paris
    • 1978 Vieux Presbitaire, Gorbio
    • 1978 L’ Estampe Aujourd’hui’, Bibliotheque Nationale: Foire Internationale d’Art Contemporian, Grand Palais, Paris
    • 1975 Sahel Palais de l’Europe, Menton
    • 1974 Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
    • 1974 Premier Salon International d’Art Contemporain, Paris
    • 1974 Salon Grands et Jeunes d’Aujoued’hui
    • 1973 Estampes Contemporaines, Musee de Menton
    • 1973 Galleria Matuzia, San Remo
    • 1973 Pacific Cultural Museum, Pasadena, California
    • 1973 Indian Contemporary Painters, Renwich Gallery, Washington
    • 1973 Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris
    • 1972 Wolfgang-Gurlitt Museum, Linz, Austria
    • 1971 Recherche et Expression, Montferneil
    • 1971 Art et Fer Blanc, Paris
    • 1967 Silver Jubilee Exhibition of Gallery Chemould, Mumbai
    • 1965 Promesses tenues, Musee Galliera, Paris
    • 1965 Realities Nouvelles, Paris
    • 1965 Art Now in India, Newcastle, UK
    • 1963 Grands et Jeunes d’ Aujourd’ hui, Paris, Salons Comparaisons, Paris
    • 1962 Commonwealth Exhibition, Commonwealth Institute London
    • 1962 Ecole de Paris 62, Galerie Charpentier, Paris
    • 1962 Werke der Ecole de Paris, Dom Galerie, Cologne
    • 1962 Gallery 63, New York
    • 1962 Commonwealth Exhibition, Commonwealth Institute, London
    • 1961 Ecole de Paris 61, Galerie Charpentier, Paris
    • 1961 Galerie Semiha Huber, Zurich
    • 1960 Modern Indian Art, Santiago, Trinidad and Mexico
    • 1960 Galerie Charpentier, Paris
    • 1958 John Moores’ Exhibition, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
    • 1958 ‘Trends in Contemporary Painting from India’, Graham Gallery, New York
    • 1957 Exhibition organized by the Journal Asahi, Tokyo
    • 1957 ‘Transferences’, Zwemmer Gallery, London
    • 1956 Les Arts en France et dans le Monde, Musee d’ Art Moderne, Paris
    • 1953 Galerie Raymond Creuze, Paris
    • 1952 Galerie Saint-Placide
    • 1951 Salon de Mai, Paris
    • 1948 Progressive Artists Group, Mumbai

    Joint Exhibitions

    • 2009 ‘Spirit of India’, with M F Husain at Kings Road Galleries, London
    • 2009 'Shanti: A Scream for Peace', with Manish Pushkale at Bugno Art Gallery, Venice
    • 2004 ‘S. H. Raza and Manish Pushkale – Recent Works’, Guild Art Gallery, Mumbai

    Participations

    • 2013-14 'Transition', 20th Anniversary Show, Centre of International Modern Art(CIMA), Kolkata
    • 2012-13 'Radical Terrain: Modernist Art from India', Rubin Museum of Art, New York
    • 2012 'Modernist Art from India: Approaching Abstraction', Rubin Museum of Art, New York
    • 2012 'Synergy 2012', 12th Anniversary Show, Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 2012 'Crossings: Time Unfolded, Part 2', Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA), New Delhi
    • 2011 'Ethos V: Indian Art Through the Lens of History (1900 to 1980), Indigo Blue Art, Singapore
    • 2011 India Art Festival, Nehru Centre, Mumbai presented by Akar Prakar, Kolkata
    • 2011 ‘Manifestations VI', Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2011 'Miniscule Marvel', presented by Contemplate at Gallery BMB, Mumbai
    • 2011 ‘Manifestations V', Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2011 'Roots in the Air, Branches Below: Modern & Contemporary Art from India', San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose
    • 2011 'Time Unfolded', Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA), New Delhi
    • 2011 'Resonance', Art Musings, Mumbai
    • 2010 'Evolve: 10th Anniversary Show', Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 2010 'Manifestations IV', Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2010 'Roots', 25th Anniversary Exhibition of Sakshi Art Gallery, Mumbai at The Park, Chennai
    • 2009 'Armory Show', New York presented by Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2008-09 ''Modern India', organized by Institut Valencià d'Art Modern (IVAM) and Casa Asia, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture at Valencia, Spain
    • 2008 'Harvest 2008', organized by Arushi Arts at The Stainless Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2007-08 'From Everyday To The Imagined: Modern Indian Art', Singapore Art Museum, Singapore and at Museum of Art, Seoul National University, Seoul
    • 1998 ‘Harmony Show;, Nehru Centre, Mumbai
    • 1996 ‘Harmony Show;, Nehru Centre, Mumbai
    • 1992 International Biennale de Dakar, Senegal
    • 1987 Biennial of Havana, Cuba
    • 1986 Biennale Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal
    • 1976 Biennale de Menton, France
    • 1972 Biennale de Menton, Realites Nouvelles
    • 1968 Biennale de Menton, France
    • 1968 First Triennale, New Delhi
    • 1966 Salon Comparaisons, Paris
    • 1966 Biennale de Menton, France
    • 1964 Biennale de Menton, France
    • 1963 Biennale du Maroc, Rabat
    • 1962 Salon Comparaisons, Paris
    • 1958 Biennale de Bruges
    • 1958 Biennale de Sao Paulo
    • 1957 Biennale 57, Pavilion de Marsan, Paris
    • 1956 Biennale de Venice

    Honours and Awards

    • 2007 Awarded the ’Padma Bhushan’, by the Government of India
    • 2004 Lalit Kala Ratna Puraskar, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
    • 1981 Awarded the ’Padma Shri’, by the Goevrnment of India
    • 1981 Elected Fellow of the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
    • 1981 Awarded Kalidas Sanman National Award, Government of Madhya Pradesh
    • 1956 Awarded the ‘Prix de la Critique’, Paris
    • 1948 Gold Medal, Bombay Art Society, Mumbai
    • 1946 Silver Medal, Bombay Art Society, Mumbai

    SH Raza lives and works in Delhi.