A plant, a texture, a line on a page — each thing revealed something new to Himmat bhai

Himmat bhai’s Garhi studio in Delhi, where I first met him 20 years ago, was a world of its own — filled with sculptures, drawings, and works in various stages of becoming, each holding the quiet hum of his process. The space reflected his way of thinking — alive, exploratory, and always in motion. His gaze was intense, broken only by the glint of mischief in his eyes, and his words moved between sharp clarity and abstract ideas, always circling back to art. There was an openness to his approach, an instinctive understanding that art was not about finality but about the act of making itself.

It was through working with him for his 2005 solo show at Anant Art that I came to understand the meticulous nature of his engagement with material — his deep consideration for every element, from the sculptures themselves to the pedestals that held them. His modernism was intuitive, not theoretical — what he once described as “a leap from the familiar to the unknown”. His works carried that same spirit — his terracotta heads and bronze sculptures revealed an enduring fascination with form and texture, each surface bearing the weight of history and process.

A defining aspect of Himmat bhai’s artistic ethos was his deep love for clay, a material he believed held fundamental significance in the act of shaping the earth with one’s hands. He often said everyone should work with it, that there was something essential in feeling the material transform through touch.

His impact on Indian art is undeniable. He was an artist’s artist — admired not just for what he created, but for the way he thought and worked. During his book launch last year for “Himmat Shah: Ninety and After – Excursions of a Free Imagination”, his lively conversation with Gulam Mohammed Sheikh, filled with animated reminiscences, reflected his deep affection and respect for his contemporaries. The High Relief Mural at St. Xavier’s Primary School, Ahmedabad (1968/1969) was a bold reimagination of public space at a time when monumental art was rarely seen outside of institutions. His drawings were not blueprints for his sculptures but an extension of his exploration of form and movement. The textures, the architectural elements, the way material carried both weight and movement — each piece reflected his engagement with form and surface, always searching for something beyond the tangible.

Himmat bhai was both a presence and an anchor for so many. Younger artists gravitated toward his studio, drawn to the way he saw the world — unfiltered, sharp, and entirely his own. He never held back his thoughts, offering critiques with honesty but never malice. Even when he had little, there was always tea, sometimes samosas, and always conversation. He shared freely — his time, his ideas, his way of seeing — which made being around him an experience in itself. His laughter was full and unrestrained, and whenever something captured his imagination, he would exclaim, “kya baat hai!” with sheer delight.

Even as time passed, his sense of wonder never dimmed. A plant, a texture, a line on a page — each thing revealed something new to him. “Adbhut”, he would say, genuinely amazed, his joy never dulled by familiarity. His work was never about fitting into definitions, never bound by expectation. He created on his own terms, driven by curiosity and an insistence on discovery.

From him, I learned to approach artworks with an unfiltered gaze and to view each piece with a renewed perspective. Our conversations were always revealing — his pursuit of artistic excellence and his constant search for greatness in his work were relentless. These are the memories I will hold dear.

His legacy is not just in what he made but in how he approached making. It is a privilege to have known him, to have seen his world up close, and to share that with others.

The writer is director, Anant Art Gallery