Bindu Series - The Geometrical Abstract art of S H Raza

Syed Haider Raza was a prolific artist who dabbled in various painting styles throughout his career. Some of the notable painting styles that Raza explored are include Expressionism, Landscape painting(during his time in France, Raza was inspired by the French landscape painters), Abstract Expressionism (in the 1950s and 60s) and Geometric Abstraction(as seen in his Bindu series).

He began painting his Bindu series in the late 1960s. The Bindu, which means "dot" or "point" in Hindi, is a simple geometric form that became a central element of Raza's artistic vocabulary. Raza's Bindus are large, colorful dots that are surrounded by fields of color. The dots are not static, but rather seem to vibrate and pulsate, creating a sense of movement and energy. In his Bindu series, Raza invites viewers to contemplate the central point and its relationship to the surrounding colors and shapes, inviting a meditative and contemplative experience.

Raza was influenced by his study of Indian philosophy and the concept of the Bindu as a point of pure potentiality and the source of all creation. He also drew inspiration from his travels to Europe, where he was exposed to abstract art and the use of geometric forms. Syed Haider Raza's Bindu series is deeply connected to Tantric art, a style of Indian art that incorporates spiritual and mystical elements into abstract imagery. In Tantric philosophy, the Bindu represents the point of creation, the center of the universe, and the union of male and female energies. Some of the elements of Tantric art that Raza used in his paintings include: Yantras, Chakras, Mantras and Bindus. The geometric forms in Raza's Bindu series are symbolic of the cyclical nature of existence and the unity of all things. The circle, for example, represents the infinite, while the triangle represents the three forces of nature - creation, preservation, and destruction. The colors used in the series also carry symbolic significance, with red representing passion, blue representing the divine, and yellow representing knowledge.

The Bindu series became famous for its minimalist yet powerful visual impact. The use of the Bindu as a central element allowed Raza to explore the interplay of color and form in a way that transcended cultural boundaries and spoke to a universal human experience.