Celebrating 100 years of Ram Kumar: A walk through his timeless artistry with his grandson, Avimukt Verma

Ancient philosophers Plato and Aristotle debated whether art imitates life or life imitates art. This exchange has captured the attention of artists across centuries, and it raises pertinent questions about art’s impact on society to this day. Several artists have tried to answer these questions through their creative expressions.
Ram Kumar Verma, one of India’s foremost abstract painters and leading modernists, has left a legacy of works that respond to and reflect on these narratives.
A decorated modernist master, Ram Kumar was lauded by the Govt. of India with the third and fourth-highest civilian award, the Padma Bhushan in 2010 and Padma Shree in 1972, respectively. He was also conferred with the title of Officier des Arts et des Lettres in 2003 by the Govt. of France.
His tryst with art began with a chance visit to an art exhibition in Connaught Place. It intrigued and influenced him. In this moment of serendipitous inspiration, he quit his banking employment to step away from the security of a 9-to-5 job and pursue a journey where the destination spanned the length and breadth of his imagination.
Today, we celebrate Ram Kumar’s 100th birth anniversary, whose artistic genius has left a mark on the art landscape. He was an icon who blended innovation and creativity to create illustrious works that have fuelled the artistic spirit of generations of artists. We commemorate how the interplay between his life and art led to the creation of awe-inducing seminal work. His formative figurative works brought out the socio-economic truths of his times. His abstract paintings were a profound dialogue wherein art not only mirrored life but also altered his interpretation of reality.
His grandson, Avimukt Verma, who is a lawyer and is also an art enthusiast, experienced this surreal dialogue when he was at the Venice Biennale and witnessed his iconic ‘Women’ painting. He says, “I must have gazed at the painting for hours, lost in thought until an Italian guard gently approached me and asked why I was fixated on this one piece when there were so many others at the Biennale. I simply told her, because my grandfather painted this. In this moment, I feel as if he is still here with me."
Broader cultural shifts
The ever-relevant debate between Aristotle and Plato questioned the role of art in society. Was art supposed to make people aware of societal inequalities, or was it supposed to serve as a medium of catharsis? This dialogue continues to evolve.
Before taking to the brush, Ram Kumar used the quill to pen the plight of the people experiencing homelessness and uprootedness, impacted by the partition. The characters from his first novel, ‘Ghar Bane Ghar Toote’ inspired his early figurative works, showing up as distraught droopy figures roaming desolate streets. The empty faces with apologetic expressions pointed to his understanding of the predicament of living in those tumultuous times.
Avimukt shares, “My grandfather’s art from the 1950s, particularly during his figurative phase, serves as a poignant reflection of the broader cultural shifts of that era. The austerity and struggles of the middle urban class are vividly captured in his work. The figures he depicted were not merely artistic subjects; they were drawn from his personal short stories, deeply inspired by his surroundings in Karol Bagh, West Delhi, a neighbourhood where many refugees from Pakistan had settled following the Partition of India. The use of darker shades, the anguished expressions, and the omnipresent shadows in his paintings poignantly mirror the despair and desolation felt by these displaced individuals, who had lost everything during the Partition of India. In this way, his art not only captures the collective trauma of a society in transition but also holds a mirror up to the profound sense of loss and hopelessness that marked the era.”
Over the years, artists have expanded their canvasses to showcase the reality of a world constantly transforming and moving. In times when generations live and breathe smart, the dissociation from the spectrum of emotions is masked by various experiences. Observing art is probably one way to tap into the pool of emotions that lie beneath urban stressors like pings and notifications and systemic stressors like the increasing divide between the privileged and underprivileged sections of society.
Ram Kumar’s art and its interaction with human emotions
“It is the human condition that leads me to art,” Ram Kumar would often say, and these impressions of life and its myriad shades found a place on his canvas.
On this intersection between art and emotions in his grandfather’s notable works, Avimukt says, “I believe my grandfather’s art speaks directly to the heart, capturing the wide range of emotions that constitute the human experience. His work is not just what one views on the surface, it really is what you feel about it when you look at it. He had this incredible gift of tapping into the deepest parts of the human soul, expressing everything from pain and loneliness to hope and the need for connection.”
While Ram Kumar’s art is evocative, it is also known for its stoicism. This duality builds a compelling visual experience that engages with people’s emotional and intellectual faculties. When one takes a look at his painting, ‘Two Sisters’, the stoic expressions and their bodies being replaced by infrastructural shapes is a stark comment on the apathy towards the working class. Speaking about ‘Two Sisters’, Avimukt adds, “ I’m struck by how the stoic expressions and abstract shapes seem to capture a quiet strength. To me, it reflects how relationships can be strong and enduring, even when emotions aren’t openly expressed.”

Exploring the reflective and restorative faculties of art
For a world that operates on instant gratifications, Ram Kumar’s art offers a moment of reflection. It prompts them to retreat inwards and explore what lies hidden beneath the iceberg.
A dichotomy that intrigues a patron observing Ram Kumar’s untitled oils is the stillness within his work. The quiet of his creativity intersects with the motions of his brush strokes and arrests a person’s attention who is programmed to look for depth in any aspect of life.
Avimukt talks about this resonance and what his grandfather’s art brings up for him when he says, “The abstract shapes and darker colours, evoke a sense of introspection. When I stare at his paintings, they often make me pause and think about my own feelings and experiences. This sort of resonance is as if his art is metaphorically telling me to explore my own self more deeply. At the end of the day, it is this personal connection that makes his work so powerful for me and other viewers.”
The imprints of a rich legacy of art on future generations
Sharing a space with an artist is bound to spark the inert creative process, also offering fresh insights into everyday challenges and just the way of perceiving the world. Having art around does evoke emotions and enables people to connect with their inner worlds, which is a transformative experience.
When asked about his grandfather’s influence on his individual creativity, Avimukt says, “I did sketch quite a bit when I was growing up, and though I wouldn't call myself a talented artist, those early experiences with drawing were deeply influenced by my grandfather's work. His art was always around me, serving as both inspiration and a reminder of the power of creativity. However, it’s my father, his son, who truly inherited that artistic talent. He paints quite a lot and has a natural gift for it, something I’ve always admired. Watching him create has taught me the importance of expression, not just through words, but through visual mediums as well. Even though I didn’t take up art as a lifelong pursuit, those experiences shaped me by nurturing a deep appreciation for the creative process and the ways it can be used to explore and communicate complex emotions. It also gave me a stronger connection to my family’s artistic/literary legacy, which continues to influence how I view the world.”

Parisian anecdotes: Exploration into creative identities
An artist sees the world with new eyes. Their interpretations colour the world in hues that bring out its truths. Inspired by Westernist movements and embracing Cubist techniques, he depicted Paris through fragmented, geometric forms and abstract compositions.
Under the guidance of renowned artists like Andre Lhote and Fernand Leger, Ram Kumar dived into lines, curves and colours with a vision, also inspired by artistic greats like Pablo Neruda, and Roger Garaudy. His work delved deeper into the spectrum of human emotions and societal actualities.
His stint in Paris freed him in a way that further empowered him to polish his creative identity. This result was evident in his move from figurative art to abstract art, a unique and unexpected transition.
Avimukt talks about how Paris was a completely different world for him. He says, “The city’s art scene, which he often described as fiercely competitive, made a lasting impression on him. He would talk about how every corner of Paris seemed to be buzzing with creativity whether it was artists on the footpaths, along the Seine, or in the countless studios scattered across the city. For him, Paris wasn’t just a place; it was a destination that every serious artist needed to experience.”
But what really drew him to Paris wasn’t so much the romance of the city, but the intellectual and artistic energy that filled the air. To this, Avimukt adds, “He was particularly influenced by the avant-garde movements happening at the time, especially Cubism, which was being pioneered by Picasso. The way Cubism broke down and reimagined forms struck a chord with him, pushing him to explore new directions in his own work. So, while Paris is often seen as a city of romance, for my grandfather, it was more about the freedom to experiment and grow as an artist. That spirit of innovation and boldness is something that deeply influenced his art and marked a significant chapter in his creative journey.”

Venice Biennale: The artist lives through his art
The ‘Art Conundrum’ is a question about immortality that artists often try to answer. However, art transcends time, and artists always live through their artistry. A Van Gogh creation continues to captivate people of today even though its origin dates back to centuries. Such is the language of art.
Ram Kumar’s art converses with people and prompts people to question all that they have chosen to believe.
Avimukt Verma outlined his experience of watching his grandfather’s iconic work, ‘Women’ being exhibited at the Venice Biennale. He shares, “Seeing my grandfather’s Women at the Venice Biennale was an unforgettable experience. As I watched people from around the world interpret his work, I felt a profound sense of veneration and pride. It was amazing to see how different viewers connected with the painting in their own unique ways. I couldn’t help but think about the incredible journey that brought this piece to such a prestigious stage, from his childhood in the hills of Shimla, to his artistic development in Paris, and now to the global spotlight of the Biennale. It was a poignant reminder of his lasting impact and how his art continues to represent India with such grace and relevance.”
Ram Kumar’s legacy: Onwards and upwards
Contemporary artists have a lot to take from the journey of stalwarts like Ram Kumar. New art rituals, stories and experiences founded in the learnings of older times will lead to creations that continue to bring up poignant questions and give rise to new perspectives. On a concluding note, Avimukt talks about the indelible impact of his grandfather’s legacy. He says, “His abstracts from Benares go beyond the mere visual, inviting a deeper emotional and spiritual engagement. His landscapes capture not just the scene but the mood and essence of the places he painted. By blending abstract techniques with natural forms, his art encourages viewers to reflect on their personal connections to the environments he portrayed.”
Ram Kumar’s art was such that even negative spaces within his canvas were rich in meaning. He gave space to themes like urban predicament, the sense of displacement, and the feeling of desolation that enveloped people across different generations. His art is a reminder of what one can expect to find when they choose the path less travelled.
So, as Avimukt Verma looked on at his grandfather’s painting at the Venice Biennale, he did realise that the artist always lives on through his art and through art enthusiasts who choose the brush every single time to narrate an atypical story through their canvas. He concludes, “I believe my Grandfather's legacy in Indian Art is timeless, capturing the soul of his nation across different generations. His figuratives reflect the mood of a newly independent India whilst his abstract ones, particularly from his Benaras series, reveal a deep spiritual dimension. Together his art speaks to the spiritual essence of our Indian heritage, inviting us to connect with it more deeply"
Disclaimer: This article has been produced on behalf of Ram Kumar’s family by Times Internet’s Spotlight team.