If we talk about the global art scene, the kind of acceptance that abstract art or non-figurative art has received here is not the same in the Indian context. Even today, in india there are many artists and art critics who underestimate abstract art. Especially when compared to figurative art. The truth is that abstract painting has enchanted the globe for decades with its unique beauty and limitless originality. Many abstract painters have achieved national and worldwide recognition and made an indelible influence on the art world. Their iconic abstract works continue to raise questions about what art can be.
The use of geometric motifs in abstract art is an important part of the genre. Obviously, these aspects constitute abstract art, which investigates the use of precise shapes, lines, and compositions to express feelings and ideas. The interaction of geometric elements in these works offers a visually appealing experience that showcases the artist’s grasp of balance, symmetry, and spatial relationships.
Internationally, great abstract artists such as Wassily Kandinsky, Piet Mondrian, and Kazimir Malevich are still remembered for their groundbreaking contributions to geometric abstraction. While their works defy conventional interpretations of art, they also challenge traditional creative norms.
When it comes to geometric shapes, the triangle is one of the oldest known, with evidence dating back to ancient Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) 5000 years ago. While the triangle has historically served as a sign of stability and strength, many cultures equate it with the power of three gods or supernatural entities.The Egyptians used the triangle concept to build their pyramids, and the Greeks expanded on it, laying the groundwork for millennia of mathematical education.
When it comes to the various cave paintings discovered around the world, geometric signs can be found at practically every rock art site, yet it is unclear what meaning or aim the creators must have had. Talking about Indian modern art, here neo-Tantric art emerged in the sixties and seventies of the last century in the backdrop of Tantric revival.
K.C.S. Panikar’s work “Words and Symbols” (1965–1966), which featured abstract representations of archetypal figures, ritual paintings, astrological charts, and mandalas, is the first example of neo-Tantric art. A few of these components—particularly the Tantric visual metaphors—became the primary language of the style, whose well-known adherents included the painters Biren De, GR Santosh, PT Reddy, and KV Haridasan among others.
By the twenty-first century, Indian contemporary art has seen significant transformations. Despite this, many artists in India’s art scene identify with abstraction. Furthermore, abstraction continues to fascinate and inspire many of today’s emerging artists. For some of these reasons, abstract-style artworks remain strikingly visible in Delhi NCR art galleries, created by several creative new artists. Rafiq Shah is one of these young artists, and his solo exhibition of works was held at the India International Center’s art gallery. This exhibition, which ran from June 28 to July 5, has curated by Akhilesh, a notable painter.
In his curatorial note, Akhilesh writes:
“Humble, polite, and down-to-earth, Rafique completed his studies and entered the world of art.He used to draw a lot and somehow got influenced by geometry. He absorbed the colors that exist in nature and appreciated their purity and freshness. The relationship and co-existence of these colors inspired him. Later, he discovered that these combinations worked well with geometry. During his studies, he happened to see works by a French artist named Garibo, which helped him understand the language of his own work.Rafique paints with love and affection—love for painting and affection for the colors. One can feel that the juxtaposition of colors in his work is neither simple nor administrative. They invite you to come and travel with the lines to experience the unfolding relationship between two seemingly opposite color tones. These tones never reveal their mystery. They become more silent, allowing you to become part of them. You cannot feel the simplicity and complex construction of these beginnings of a labyrinth. It’s a kind of netting that exists in Rafique’s imagination. His work is not about representation but revelation. I believe that his purity of Sufi thinking is the core of these paintings. He paints as he loves nature. He expresses himself like the silent walk of a faqir. He is present without any claim and is there for everyone who cares for and loves this existential world, yet he doesn’t belong to it.”