Suraj Ghai

A Voice of His Times: Suraj Ghai

Suraj Ghai was a student of Delhi Polytechnic, as the Delhi College of Art was known at that time, during 1952–57. He had the privilege of learning under the great masters of Indian art, like Sailoz Mukherjee, Biren De, Bhavesh Sanyal, Dhanraj Bhagat and Dinkar Kowshik among others.

Early in his career, Suraj Ghai’s work showed tendencies towards abstract art. The first group show he led and participated in, Seven Painters, (1958) had all the works in abstract mode. Ghai’s early work, during the mid-Fifties and early Sixties saw some excellent abstracts such as Immense Space, Organic Existence and Lovers Delight in Moonlight. At the same time, expressionist tendencies with surrealist overtones were very visible in works such as When the Soul is Sick, Demons of a New Hope and some later works at Varanasi. Works such as Little Girl and the Black Moon, Musicians in the Moonlight came during Ghai’s sojourn in Paris, when he won a scholarship in Fresco Painting (Mural) at Ecole des Beaux – Arts (1961–63). Later, he remained a visiting faculty in Mural Painting at his alma mater from 1973–79, and established the department of Fresco Painting (Mural). Ghai also remained a visiting faculty at School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi (1985–89).

It has been a singular trait of Ghai as an artist, that he has never been restricted by a specific style or concern. His work has reflected his honesty towards his times and its demands on him as an artist. Since the very beginning, he has believed that great art is created when the social and personal experience intersect and which then comes out with its own compulsive force. Human condition has been one of the recurring concerns of Ghai as an artist, and even his early works such as ‘Death’, Flood Victims, and later works done at Varanasi, such as Dance of Rickshaw Pullars, City without Soul, Intellectual Betrayal, et cetera bear the stamp of a deep pre- occupation of this concern.

Suraj Ghai has never been the one to shy away from experiment and innovation in process to capture both internal and external realities. One of his most compulsive desires has been to capture time and process in the spatial dimension. This challenge was already a promise in his 1957 work Transformation- Seed- flower- Plant where he captures the process of transformation on a single canvas, as a triptych. Works during the Seventies such as ‘Flight of a Bird into Ecstasy’, ‘Dying Bird- a Melancholy’ et cetera captured the Time- Space- Movement with a changing form, which remains unprecedented in the world of Indian art. During this period, Ghai evolved a lyrical style with poetic and symbolic leanings which remain a significant element of his paintings. Thus, Emerging Form, Little Girl and the Bird, Birds are Tender as a Woman’s Breast, Naked Prince and the Birds…. works across the next three decades are tinged with a certain lyrical melancholy. His portraits and landscapes too echo an abiding engagement with man and nature. Ghai’s recurring theme of nature as an active force of resurgence and reaffirmation of values is evident in Autumn, Little Girls Frolic in the Garden in Twilight, Lovers in Garden, Woman Caressing Bird and many more.

Ghai’s social concerns find a most powerful leit- motif in the image of Christ. Throughout, Ghai uses the image of Christ as a metonymic representation of purity, goodness and sacrifice while he places the contrasting elements of profanity to heighten the pain of social betrayal. Ghai has made a number of paintings and drawings on this theme. His 1993 work Orgy at His Recurring Crucification remains one of the most powerful metaphors of our times. Works in this genre like Relics of a Bygone Era, Woman as Cow, Joys of Liberation, and Demons of a New Hope are scathing satires on the politics of expediency, and pliable conscience, in both personal and social realm.

Drawings become a powerful tool of Satire and biting wit in Ghai’s hands. During the Eighties and Nineties, Ghai produced some of the most powerful drawings on the deteriorating social and political conditions in the country. A corpus of more than a thousand drawings in black and white add a powerful dimension to Ghai, one of the most versatile artists of our times. Cursing its Creator, Old Man’s Stick, Man as Toilet, The Bureaucrat…. Some of the drawings seem to take but a few moments, and each one reveals to us what we have become, or chosen to be.

Suraj Ghai has been at the forefront of movements to free art from the monopoly of a few. Along with Seven Painters, he was instrumental in forming another group of young artists in the 1960s called The Unknown, along with Paramjit Singh, V.S. Kaushik, Rajendra Dhawan and others. The group held several acclaimed exhibitions in Delhi in a time when it was almost impossible to exhibit art without patronage. During 1979–82, he spearheaded the famous Saturday Art Fair, where artists displayed their works at the Central Park of Connaught Place and painted on the spot.

Suraj Ghai uses colour in its emotive aspect. As a student, his sense of colour was deeply influenced by his teacher, the great Sailoz Mukherjee, and the fauvists like Matisse and Gauguin. Ghai plays with oppositions both in content and formal structure. Often, he places directly opposing symbols in the same work, which complement and enhance the value of each other. Thus, play of contradictions pulls us into a world we inhabit, and the world within. Thus each work becomes both a state as well as a process, fulfilling Ghai’s abiding promise to his self and society.

When Suraj Ghai revisited his alma mater on the occasion of its 61st Annual Art Exhibition on March 10, 2014, it was an occasion to relive his student days. In a conversation he talked of what life was like learning under the great masters, and the journey of his college this past sixty years, to what it is today.

Some excerpts:

OF STUDENT DAYS

NK: Tell us about your life as a student of art at Delhi College of Art.

SG: I joined the Delhi Polytechnic (now Delhi College of Art) in 1952. The atmosphere in those days was full of enthusiasm as India had gained independence recently. After independence, the nationalistic fervour of the Bengal School gave way to independent thinking. By the time we entered the art school, the early moderns like Cezanne, Van Gogh etc. had already entered our consciousness. Modern movement had been in Europe for quite a while but in India Picasso was still considered a joke.

In the art school, teaching was done on the pattern of British system. Technical side like drawing, life study, landscape water colours, oil painting etc. were emphasized. So the approach towards the teaching of art was European.

Bombay at that time was already a well-established centre of art and commercial activity. But after being declared the national capital, artists from different parts of the country came and settled in Delhi. Great teachers like Biren De, Bhavesh Sanyal, Dhanraj Bhagat, P. N. Mago and Harkishan Lal joined the Delhi College of Art as Faculty. P. N. Mago and Harkishan Lal were inclined towards modernism. A lot of teachers were from the later phase of Bengal school. Calcutta academicians like Biren De influenced us a lot. The new moderns of Lahore too influenced us a lot. Delhi had no specific character of its own: it was a virgin field. In all schools, the stamp of tradition was very strong. When we started our education, there was a conflict of preferences. We had quite a few books and got a lot of fresh ideas from Bhavesh Sanyal. His own work was influenced by Cezanne and Gauguin. All in all, the atmosphere in our school was pro- modern. Then Sailoz Mukherjee joined as a teacher. Though he came from the Bengal school of art, he was a modernist in his outlook. He had a very Matissian sensibility towards colour. Harkishan Lal was there for a very little while but he brought the impact of modern art from Bombay. But by that time, Delhi had become a main centre of art learning for students of north India.

When I saw Cezanne’s work for the first time, I was shocked, that someone could paint like that. It had a tremendous and fantastic appeal and we couldn’t understand why people were criticizing Cezanne. After that I saw the work of other modernists. During the first and second year, I was drawn towards the work of Gauguin. When we express ourselves through painting and colour, we are drawn towards certain colours and style which matches with our life experience. I at least could relate to an artist or work or style only if it echoed or corresponded with my own life experience. I couldn’t paint without identifying with the experience. Structurally I was influenced by Gauguin. Then I was influenced by Matisse, Picasso et cetera. Sailoz Mukherjee was a major influence on my work, in the way he worked, the way he handled colour, there was no other like him. So you can say that Matisse and Sailoz Mukherjee were major influences on me as artists. I produced some really good works during my student days. Works such as Village Scene, Death, Flood Victims, and some graphics and Lino- cuts got a very enthusiastic response from my teachers, especially Sailoz Mukherjee.

Most of whatever was happening on the international scene, we would know from books. Though our college libraries were not so good, the international libraries like the USIS, British High Commission library, Max Muller libraries were fantastically good for art books. So most of our learning was influenced by this exposure. Matisse, Van Gogh, Gauguin et cetera influenced us in terms of handling light. Toulouse Lautrec’s figures too had a lot of impact.

National Gallery of Modern Art was established in Delhi in 1953. Though its initial purpose was to store the works of Amrita Shergil and then other major artists, yet it gave a tremendous boost to the art activity in Delhi. Then National Exhibition was started in 1955-56. Hussein’s works were showcased in Delhi for the first time. These two developments were major incentives for Delhi artists.

NK: Today’s generation is very interested in experimenting with new materials, new techniques. Was it so during your times?

SG: No. and today’s generation is interested in these things because they are available. We felt that the challenge was in realizing the concept. Basic qualities and understanding of line, colour, form, shapes and spaces are fundamental requirements for an artist. Technology, different techniques and new materials can then be acquired and handled more easily.

ON HIS RECENT VISIT TO HIS ALMA MATER

NK: Let us talk about your recent visit to the Delhi College of Art as a guest of honour during the Annual Art Exhibition. How have things changed in terms of students and facilities?

SG: In my times, the departments of Fine Arts and Sculpture were much stronger. Great masters of Indian art taught here and mentored a great many artists.

Since Delhi has become cosmopolitan in its culture, there are a number of opportunities and avenues for showcasing one’s work.

Now, the college department of Applied Art is much stronger. Design values and production values are much better and the department students are making an impact in many visual fields such as publication, film and applied design. In spite of increasing commercialism Delhi College of Art has regularly produced good artists. The college has created a most favourable environment towards ease of creating and executing work.

When I visited the college this time, I found that it has one of the finest buildings in the country. There is plenty of space, plenty of specialized courses and departments. Only, there was no functioning art gallery in the college, which could showcase the work of students as well as visiting national and international artists as well as senior artists. Such a gallery used to be there in our times. That, I feel, is the most important point of contact and learning for the art students as well as the general public. An art college should have a very important role in the life of a city.

But it was a great joy to interact with the students. They are eager to learn, and not afraid to voice their views. This courage to accept the responsibility of freedom is the most cherished quality in an artist.

— Dr. Neer Kanwal Mani