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Lot Essay
Rencontre means 'encounter' or 'to meet,' a suitable title for a work that embodies the visual meeting of Mark Rothko and S.H. Raza. Raza writes, "Rothko's work opened up lots of interesting associations for me. It was so different from the insipid realism of the European School. It was like a door that opened to another interior vision. Yes, I felt that I was awakening to the music of another forest, one of subliminal energy. Rothko's works brought back the images of japmala, where the repetition of a word continues till you achieve a state of elevated consciousness... Rothko's works made me understand the feel for spatial perception." (Raza: Celebrating 85 years, Aryan Art Gallery, New Delhi, 2007)
Raza saw Rothko's style as a way to fully express his own philosophical interests -- elevated consciousness, spiritual perception, and most importantly, the essence of abstraction: depth -- on canvas. Though the influence of Rothko's work on Raza seems apparent, Rencontre is anything but derivative and reflects his continuing style. The work is reminiscent of the warm hues of deep red, orange and brown ochre found in his Rajasthan series.
Raza saw Rothko's style as a way to fully express his own philosophical interests -- elevated consciousness, spiritual perception, and most importantly, the essence of abstraction: depth -- on canvas. Though the influence of Rothko's work on Raza seems apparent, Rencontre is anything but derivative and reflects his continuing style. The work is reminiscent of the warm hues of deep red, orange and brown ochre found in his Rajasthan series.