Effort to fathom Manjit Bawa as an artist and a serious thinker

A noteworthy aspect of late Manjit Bawa’s oeuvre was his unique iconography, and his willingness to come up with a burst of colors, and a format, which comprised of miniatures just about 5-6” or canvases 10-12 feet large. Both were equally relished such was the magic he could weave on them.

His canvases akin to storyboards cut across generations in terms of popularity and appeal. In a sense the artist showed the courage to take on the modernist establishment, even while celebrating his very Indian roots. He could said to be the quintessential myth-maker. Summing up his persona, art writer Kishore Singh had mentioned in a Business Standard column:

“Like India’s most recognized artist M F Husain, Bawa’s bearded persona was distinctive, and like him he drew from life all that it had to offer him. Where Tyeb Mehta’s somewhat similar journey and equally mythologised use of a central, minimal figure was defined by pent-up strength and violence, Bawa’s exuded a serenity that arose from his own gentle personality.”

When he unfortunately first went into coma, prices for most of his works were in the range of Rs 5 lakh to 20 lakh. He passed away in December 2008, by when the prices had peaked to Rs 42 lakh. Incidentally, this was the time while recession had already set in and the market had started its downward spiral. The auction prices of his work held their own even through that tough period. His work fetched an impressive Rs 1.7 crore in December 2009, at a Saffronart auction. Sotheby’s New York touched the mark of Rs 4.3 crore in April 2010 for a Bawa canvas.

As the price index continues its upward journey, the induction of the late artist into the elite hall of fame of Indian artists has indeed started in serious earnest. The launch of Readings series of books for the Lalit Kala Akademi (LKA) with a volume on him is a step in this direction. Art writer Ina Puri, who has closely analyzed his work, quips: “At a time when Modern Indian Art was largely defined by the Progressives and the Baroda and Bengal schools, he emerged as a major force, introducing something so vital. As a result, he stood out among the others.”