05 April,2013 01:21 AM IST | | Soma Das
Abdul Aziz Raiba or AA Raiba's association with the Sir JJ School of Art began in 1943 when he was offered a scholarship by the dean Charles Gerard. Seven decades later, Raiba returns to the college with a retrospective that inquires into his practice, exploring his experimentations with medium, methods of research that inform the subject of his paintings and the unique approach towards exhibition making.
Vasai series (1982) by AA Raiba
The artist fell into obscurity as he never enjoyed much commercial success as other modernists. He is known for his detailed study of subjects. His inability to create a substantial body of work and self-curated shows led him into retirement from actively exhibiting in the 1990s.
With initiative from Professor Anant Nikam, Dean Vishwanath Sabale leant works from Raiba's academic years at the college for the exhibition. Last year, students of the printmaking studio published a portfolio of serigraphs that were screen-printed from the sketchbooks of AA Raiba detailing his practice from the last 70 years. Works from private collections and from AA Raiba (spanning a period from 1943 to 2013) will be seen as part of his retrospective collection.
