A portrait never grows old, the person does. Capturing a portrait is stilling a point in time,” says artist Rishabh Sud pointing at one of his works which is displayed as part of his first solo show, ‘Moments 2007-2015’. Comprising portraits of Maharaja Hira Singh of Nabha, ace fashion photographer Hemant Khandelwal, actors Virat and Aamir Raza Husain, director Muzaffar Ali and his wife Meera, among others, the show intends to revive the lost glory of portraiture, which has largely been forgotten in an era of selfies.
Sud, who has been painting portraits since 2007, says that a portrait is not about copying a person, “there should be a presence of the person in the work”. He adds that a lot of work goes in before he actually starts painting, and says that it is extremely important for him to understand the subject which comes only after extensive interactions with them.
“Part of my process before I begin painting is to research, sit and communicate with my subject and know as much as I can about them so I can bring that on the canvas. I always ask people about their favourite objects/props – something they relate to and makes them feel comfortable. After all, the subject is the hero,” he tells Metrolife.
With nearly 35 works in oil and charcoal on display, the artist has dedicated his show to his father Satish Sud, a well-known graphic designer and artist. Sud, who is also a graphic designer, advanced his skills in Florence, Italy, where he practiced and learned the Old Master Technique in Classical Realism at the Angel Academy of Arts.
Sud further says that a good portrait artist should “establish a nice mood reflective of the person, communicate a sense of emotion and have no complexities in his works”, adding that a good portrait artist should also be able to visualise the final product.
“The background of Muzaffar (Ali) was beautiful, but while painting I realised that it was clashing with the subject. So, I decided to do away with it. It is essential that the background adds to the personality of the person,” he says, adding that a lot of imagination also comes into play while painting a portrait.
Similarly, while working on Maharaja Hira Singh of Nabha’s portrait, which was commissioned by his great great grandson, Maharaja Hanuwant Singh of Nabha, Sud put his creative skills to best use and the final portrait came out to be very different from the original.
“They wanted the same portrait, but while I was half way through I asked them if I could introduce a few elements and take out a few from the background. They agreed, and that was the beauty of the commission, that I could play with the original portrait while ensuring that most of the elements remain close to actual one, painted nearly a century ago” he says.
Giving an insight into the art of portrait making, Sud says that in the earlier days, it was a sign of wealth, where the patron would call upon the artist to showcase them at their best. “Such artists used to live in their houses and it would take months and probably years to get that perfect portrait. Today’s world is digital and instant; many don’t understand the charm behind a work painstakingly created by hand. There is much more than what meets the eye. It brings out the sitter’s unique sense of individuality, which allows the viewer an insight into their characters,” adds Sud. Moments 2007-2015 is on till November 25 at 1AQ, Qutab Minar, main roundabout.