The path less travelled | Afzal Pathan exhibition @ Delhi's Triveni Kala Sangam

The Raza Foundation, in collaboration with Triveni Kala Sangam, will present a solo exhibition of works by Afzal Pathan (1936-2000), a distinctive yet little-known figure of Indian modern art. Curated by Akhilesh, the exhibition opened with a preview on June 30 and continues until July 10 at the Shridharani Art Gallery, Triveni Kala Sangam, Delhi.

Born in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh, Pathan emerged from circumstances far removed from the metropolitan art centres that shaped much of India’s post-Independence artistic discourse. Raised in a family of modest means, he developed an early interest in drawing, sketching with coal on the walls of his home. Despite financial hardship, he pursued art while working as a labourer before becoming an art teacher and later entering higher education. Although he studied at the Indore School of Art and received a gold medal from Vikram Vishwavidyalaya, Ujjain, Pathan spent most of his life in Dewas.

“There are two types of artists,” he says. “Those who live in metro cities and have all facilities regarding art. The others live in small towns. They silently paint and enjoy the creativity.” He notes that Pathan had only a handful of exhibitions during his lifetime.

Pathan’s practice ranged from landscape and portraiture to rangoli and abstraction. Working with unconventional materials and experimental mixtures of paint and thinners, he developed a highly personal visual language. The exhibition forms part of the Raza Foundation’s continuing programme of presenting significant artistic practices.

—On view at Triveni Kala Sangam, Delhi, till July 10