This document summarizes an exhibition by artist M.F. Husain titled "99 years of C.V. Raman" that was inspired by the work of scientist C.V. Raman. The exhibition breaks down traditional approaches to painting and features geometric shapes and crystalline structures held together by white spaces. Colors seem to move and flow between forms like sentences in an essay. It is described as an exercise in motion and stillness. Husain allows himself to be led by the colors with no set story or plot. Circles and shapes appear to figure skate and dissolve and reform with fresh meanings. The original black and white photo is reinterpreted through imaginary colors since the color painting is unavailable.
2. The Raman effect on Husain” an article published in 1984 ?,Times of India reviving his exhibition by Lakshmi Lal point out
interesting connectivity between Scientist world and Artist perception.
“These are the first radiant gleanings of Husain’s oceanic exercise in the
colors of truth, his truth; an exercise inspired by the spectacle of color
formulated by a scientist; seer,-exhibition titled “99years of C.V.Raman”.
Husain begins by breaking down given
approaches. His unit, his phrase, is no longer handed out by traditions of easel
painting. There are geometric segments strongly evocative of crystalline
structures symmetrical and asymmetrical, held together by nothing more or
less than the white wall-spaces between them and tensions that flow and bind
those particular groupings. Backing these are fine black lines that bear these,
like an underwater support, presenting them as one unit.
In Unit A, for instance, red breaks out in
lines that a lead outside the form as if, having plundered in, it emerges in a
vermilion streak, flashing truth. There are forms where crystalline bits seem to
move and swim sperm-like into foetal, embryonic stances, waiting for birth.
They are like sentences in this essay on color, barely punctuated and
breathlessly enunciated. Husain says it all in a rush of color, presenting a
torrential visual discovery that has been patterned and shaped by the march
of geometry into formation of meaning.
3. What strikes one about this exercise- for
exercise it is –is the feeling of motion that has stilled into an interval of
perception; stillness, in turn, poised to break free into the next and newer
movement. It is the still centre, the eye, of a raging storm of color.
“The act has begun,” states Husain’s manifesto at the entrance.” There is no
story, no plot … (only) brush and the birth of color.”
It is as I said, an exercise, an interim performance. Husain kept repeating, “It is
only a beginning” and refreshing manner kept pointing at one or the other,
saying “I was not satisfied then…” It is a new road that he is traveling where the
artist lets himself be led by the nose by the presiding deity of color.
Circles, half-circles and crystalline
shapes seem to have figure-skated and slide into position, ready to dissolve
re-shape and re-form into new groups, fresh births, Storm-clouds of color seem
to settle into calm skies of space, dormant, full with fresh outbursts, pregnant
with meaning that could hatch fresh insights.
5. I am trying to imagine the
colors of Husain’s original
painting with help of
Photoshop through colour
balance method..
Here the skin tone of
Sir C.V. Raman’s face is
taken to gauge the
overall colour. Artist
dependents on color
appearance method
6. Copy of raman1.tif
The visual
(at the bottom)
is original black &
white printed
photograph from
which is (on the
top) rendered
in imaginary
colors using
“achromatic to
chromatic value
scale” method.
This is turned into
gray scale mode
to check the same
by means of
matching with the
original’s gray
values. I hope that
my colors are
close to
M.F. Husain's
original colour.
7. Notice the contours of the mountain in both the pictures the one taken in 1921 on the left and
the other on the right photographed recently in colour shows effect of global warming…
8. My cover design’s various stages from rough concept to final printed, the applications of
pointillist method with the help of various medium, a good learning of colour management…
9. Few examples of my cover
designs where I tried to explore
different paper surfaces and
colour medium, basically to
depict the themes…
10. My state award (1974) winning Poster design created by
means of embossed print-making technique explored here
through different light filters and colors just to understand
visual effects in context to theme depictions…
11. Find below on the left, the original art work for Dr. Madhuri Thakar’s biography as a
physiotherapist depicting how she helped the poor patients in need. Unfortunately
after the final printing by the publisher the visual concept of poor man holding the
rainbow is defeated due to loss of colors. I wanted this visual thought to be
communicated to millions through this media. How can we literate these printers
about COLOUR MANAGEMENT? I can present many such examples…
12. Are we ready to understand this Colour Aesthetic
Translation of Vincent Van Gogh…?
• “No more fitting epilogue can be provided for Van Gogh than this series of self-
portraits, which reveal the changes in his style and his growing self-awareness. An early
study ( top left first ) shows the Dutch influence of dark, earthy tones. His palette grew
lighter and more intense in Paris (second,third,fourth and fifth). The hues of Arles
reminded Van Gogh of Japanese prints and he painted himself as a Buddhist monk
(sixth). After his mental breakdown, he saw himself as an apparition emerging from an
ambiguous background (seventh). His last self-portrait (eighth) is a powerful study of
fevered mind held in check by monumental effort of will.” (Ref. The World of Van Gogh-Robert and the
Editors of Time-Life Books, courtesy Shantaram Raut an artist from Thane) See the next slide…
13.
14. My Visual Journey with Mr. Kiran Prayagi of “GATE” since last four years
…GRATITUDE…
• My first * Research paper on “Techno-Aesthetics and Colour Management” for the Colour Management
Conference for print media conducted by Mr. Kiran Prayagi of Graphic Arts Technology and Education, AGFA, and KODAK in city of
Mumbai. It focuses on Design awareness in Graphic Arts.
• The second *“Colour Appearances-faithful or false reproduction of colors a challenge for colour
management” a seminar/workshop conducted by India Flexographic Technical Association along with Graphic Arts Technology and
Education in Mumbai. Lecture and workshop on the same topic in “Colour Management” meet at INDO-GERMAN COLOUR
MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE in co-operation with GATE and CHEMNITZ UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Germany.( In India)
It focuses on Seven aspects mentioned earlier that affects colour. This is redefined version on the same
topic presented earlier.
• This year’s “Colour perception and its Aesthetic Translations: Academic experiments in visual/
communication art” has reinforced my quest to see the relationships with Science/Technology and Visual Art.
• This journey began way back when My research paper* 1985: Published in the proceedings of International Colour
Conference (C.I.E.) on the “Role of Colour in Audio – Visual Education’” with invitation to
present in form of a “POSTER PRESENTATION” at Monte Carlo–France which was presented by Co–author
Dr.Shalini Patwardhan in France.
15. Notice the following visual details in the painting
Highlight The brightest light, where light from the source
fails most directly on the object.
Cast Shadow The darkest shadow, caused by the object’s
blocking of light from the source.
Reflected light A dim light, bounced back onto the object by
light falling on surfaces around the object.
Crest Shadow A shadow that lies on the crest of a rounded form,
between the highlight and the reflected light.
Water colour
painting by
my father
an artist and
colourist
Prof.R. P.Joshi.
(12th March 1911-19th May1987)
16. Finally my gratitude towards…
My family…Great grand father for
injecting art in our blood that has pass
on to my grandfather, father art
educationist and painter, mother a gifted
vocalist, and all members starting from
eldest brother Satchidananda the
Architect, sister Neelatai the Art master,
Suhas the Printing technologist, late
Ravindra the humorist, sister Pratibhatai
the singer, Prakash the Fine Artist,
myself Commercial Artist, Charudutta the
Fine Sculptor and with additions of my
wife Vidya Applied artist and art
educationist, Aditya the fifth generation
my son Art Director/ Graphic Designer
and his wife Gauri the Web art director…
All Sir J.J. School of Art’s alumnus…
Drawings of great grandfather 150 years ago, a portrait sculpture by my
father of grandfather and my father on the spot doing landscape 50 years
ago and an old file photo of entire family…
17. I am grateful with the sense of gratitude to my late father
an artist and colourist Prof.R. P.Joshi who inspired me to venture into the
world of colours, Dr. Mrs. Shalini Patwardhan known Indian Colour Scientist,
who put me to the world colour map with constant encouragement, Mr. Kiran
Prayagi whose thirst for knowledge with touch of professional quality and
sense of aesthetic with true desire to bring Art & Science together and finally
my Art Guru Shantaram Pawar with his earthy colour palette paintings gave an
insight about Oriental Indian Art forms and colours, all of them are equally the
contributors to this colour journey. I have to thanks my friend art and
literature critic Deepak Ghare .
18.
19. Notice the after-image from the previous slide creating the illusion of the Indian Flag with its original colors.
28th Feb.1928 the birth of “Raman Effect” this year it is celebrating 83nd Year
Notice the contours of the mountain in both the pictures the one taken in 1921 on the left and the other on the right photographed recently in colour shows effect of global warming…
My cover design’s various stages from rough concept to final printed, the applications of pointillist method with the help of various medium, a good learning of colour management…
Few examples of my cover designs where I tried to explore different paper surfaces and colour medium, basically to depict the themes…
My state award (1974) winning Poster design created by means of embossed print-making technique explored here through different light filters and colors just to understand visual effects in context to theme depictions…
Drawings of great grandfather 150 years ago, a portrait sculpture by my father of grandfather and my father on the spot doing landscape 50 years ago and an old file photo of entire family…