Fine collage of lines

Inspired by Piet Mondrian, the Dutch cubist, his work is exciting and very different. Largely composed of geometric lines and planes which intersect, merge and divide the canvas against a background of cloudy space. Bands of colours dissect each other in strong expressions of feeling and emotion.

“A painting cannot really be explained it has to be experienced. I could not feel a higher sense of relief from human forms than within the four walls of my home, where I found myself shelved. My real career as an abstractionist began in 1999, when I abandoned form content in my work in favour of what came to stay as abstraction.I truly believe that abstract paintings lead and assist one in gaining insights that elevate our sensibilities to realise the existence of an ultimate reality. It is a spiritual experience for me in many ways,” he says.

Hariraam uses his large canvases to enliven spaces with bold acrylic colours. Teaming up pinks, greens, reds and blues, he builds up a mesmerising collage of vertical and horizontal lines that are not random in anyway but rather created with a blend of calculation and heightened intuition.Turning simple lines and curves into art is the mark of a true abstractionist and Hariraam has achieved that through his paintings. “I used to use free-flowing brush strokes in some of my earlier works but then one loses control of the canvas,” he laughs.

Smaller coloured squares and rectangles, composed together, create an energy that is almost palpable. Odd shapes and twirls intertwined with geometric forms also build up an ebb and flow of colour and movement that stops and moves in equal measure even as you study it closely getting absorbed in its intense vortex. The exhibition is on till October 15 at Time and Space Gallery.