Neeraj Goswami

Neeraj Goswami (Devanagari: नीरज गोस्वामी), born in Patna in 1964, is an Indian Artist. He is a prominent, Indian, contemporary painter and sculptor. Neeraj has made the medium of oils his own achieving a brilliance and vibrancy that is outstanding. Using tones of Celadon Porcelain and Onyx Styrations, Neeraj Goswami gives his canvases a gentle radiance. His paintings glow like precious stones with translucence rarely seen. Through this sheer haze his characters come alive almost as if they are ready to walk out of the canvas. The vitality and lifelike images of his paintings have made Neeraj Goswami one of the most sought after artists of his generation.

An artist remains aware though detached. The artist feels the throbbings of broader impulses around him more acutely. The joys, sorrows, compromises, excellence, pain, loneliness, all inspire the artist. Every experience catalyses creativity and experiences get sublimated. Faithful to these precepts, Neeraj Goswami has forged his own style that does not take into account the prevailing trends. He has earned a reputation of an artist whose works are thought provoking and filled with the conflicts, either those between men and women or those between human beings and their environment. An eye for detail and a keen sense of observation have served him well making his paintings true to life and unequalled for their portrayal of the various realities that he observes around him.^[1][2]

Since 2010, Neeraj Goswami, is being represented by Sanchit Art Gallery (New Delhi and Agra).

Early life

Born in city of Patna, he spent his early years in surroundings that received little benefit from India’s modernisation process.

His family had shifted to Delhi when he was only eight years of age and he spent the remaining years in a city that was undergoing a near – exponential growth pattern that was not in tandem with the rate of progress in the rest of the country.

Patna was a city that was frequented by the British when they ruled India. Additionally, the city had its own and even more glorious past to fall back upon. The area had cradled Buddhist, Islamic and Hindu civilisations. In the field of visual art it had its own quota of traditional miniature painting whose early exponents had migrated to the city of Patna mainly from Mughal Courts in Delhi & Lucknow.

The part of Patna where Neeraj grew up, has retained its old world look even today. Its Muslim population for far outnumbered its Hindu fraternity and the locality had everything one may need, excepting cleanliness. The narrow and winding lane, its main thoroughfare, was muddy and uneven and often failed to separate the house – fronts that fought for space on either side of the lane. There was however a big break available close at hand that was serene and beautiful in sharp contrast to this perpetual confusion. A short walk away was the river Ganges. It served as the real escape for young Neeraj Goswami and the river played a stellar pole in his life afterwards, in more ways than one.

Life in Delhi, for young Neeraj was a lot better to start with. His father’s job in the city assured him of a better pay – packet and ability to provide reasonably decent accommodation and schooling for him. His school soon became aware of the artistic skill of the young prodigal and the art – teacher took upon himself the task of developing his talent even further. A copy of a self – portrait in oil by Rembrandt, done by Neeraj during his early years in this Delhi school became the showpiece for Neeraj’s artistic talent.^[3]

Education

Neeraj completed his education at the College of Art, Delhi. He earned both a bachelor's and master's degree and has been feted by the Government for his significant contribution to art. Neeraj received the Bharat Bhavan Award at the Second Biennial of Contemporary Indian Art in the year 1988. The Lalit Kala Research Grant Fellowship was also awarded to him in the same year. Besides these Goswami has been in great demand as a painter and a sculptor. Now many important camps and shows later Neeraj finds himself in the forefront of Indian contemporary art and his works grace many a collection both in India and abroad.

Exhibitions & participations

Selected solo exhibitions

• 2013 'Liquid Distillation of Animated Consciousness', organised by Sanchit Art, at Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi^[4]

There were around ninety works varying from few very huge canvases to some very small format drawings where some of them were his fresh creations while others were from his old collection. The small drawings and mixed media were from Goswami's own collection and were on public view for the first time. In fact the exhibition has been quite in proximity to a retrospective of his art extending over four halls of the Lalit Kala Galleries^[5]

Quotes

• "I have attended many art workshops around the world, organised by galleries and collectors. The most important thing was the experience of painting in a different environment, sharing your thoughts with people around the world, all these activities help in your evolution as a painter." - Neeraj Goswami^[6]
• "There are influences from around the world and there is a search for our own identity as Indians with a glorious past and rich tradition. Contemporary Indian Art is still in its nascent, evolutionary stage. It will become mature and will find its rightful place globally in the near future." - Neeraj Goswami^[7]
• "I am creating my own iconography by wielding silence and music, sharp angles, curves, triangles and planes merge with fluid shadow lines and msyterious depths that balance. The yearning of soul and its need to find solitude and peace amidst the chaotic turmoil that is life is what my art is all about. I believe that "truth lies in the moment." -Neeraj Goswami ^[8]
• "He who breathes through the numerous bodies — combined the five elements to create the world (Maya) out of pure love. When 'I' ceases to exist — hold the golden orb, let the time stop, hear the sound — within — bathe in the mystical light — the endless rhythm of breathing will lead to the self." "-Neeraj Goswami"

Collections

His works feature in prominent collections, which amongst others include:

• National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi
• Apollo Group
• Hero Honda
• Ranbaxy Group
• Max India
• Adidas
• Somdatt Group
• Reliance Group
• Mural for Shavji Stadium station on Delhi Metro, Airport Express line

Besides these Goswami has been in great demand as a painter and a sculptor. He executed some important murals and commissioned portraits, particularly the portrait of Honorable President Shri KR Narayanan, 1999 for the upper house of the Indian parliament (Rajya Sabha).

Publication on his life and work / further reading

Liquid Distillation of Animated Consciousness, Art of Neeraj Goswami (2013)
Arun Ghose
Published by Sanchit Art Publications
ISBN 9788192637303
More details – http://www.flipkart.com/art-neeraj-goswami-liquid-distillation-animated-consciousness/p/itmdgt9k7anqhdgz?pid=9788192637303&otracker=from-search&srno=t_1&query=neeraj+goswami&ref=0898318e-51a0-4d5b-a169-d8b5ec53ada4

References

External links

1. Neeraj Goswami on Saffron Art
2. Neeraj Goswami on Sanchit Art – Profile and Artworks