<p>"With his white beard and childlike manner, Himmat Shah is among the last of the urban hermits lodged in his studio-cave,” wrote renowned art critic, historian, and curator Geeta Kapur (The Bohemian as Hermit/ARTIndia magazine/Vol 5. Issue 2). “He is also among the last of the bohemians, a free spirit in Indian art.” That was in 2000. Fast forward 25 years, and the enigmatic ‘urban hermit’ died in Jaipur on March 2, 2025, due to heart failure. He was 92.</p>.<p>Shah was, by all accounts, among the masters of modern Indian art. An indefatigable artist, he continually experimented with diverse mediums, techniques, and scales, leaving a profound mark on the art world. In a seven-decade career, he engaged in bronze casting, paper etching, architectural murals, and lithography, alongside his exceptional and widely recognised terracotta works. The courageous explorer and relentless innovator continued working even into his 90s.</p>.<p>Historians and critics who have closely followed his captivating personal and artistic evolution over the years affirm that any discussion on Indian modernist sculpture would be incomplete without acknowledging Shah’s vital contribution. They also point out that Shah was one of those rare artists who expressed their deepest thoughts and emotions through their works without worrying about societal norms and pressures of the market.</p>.<p>“Himmat turns conventional scale into mockery and allows for sheer play to dominate his vision,” observes critic Gayatri Sinha. “His work does not appear to judge the human condition. Instead, it appears to present its existential state, through terms that defy simple definition.”</p>.<p><strong>Diverse influences</strong></p>.<p>Born in 1933, in Lothal, Gujarat — a town known for its archaeological significance and dating back to the Indus Valley civilisation — Shah had a troubled relationship with his family, leading him to run away from home when he was 10. Later, however, he trained as a drawing teacher before pursuing his education at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Baroda from 1955 to 1961. During this time, he had the privilege of studying under renowned teachers such as KG Subramanyan and NS Bendre.</p>.<p>In 1962, Shah moved to Delhi, where he formed friendships with notable figures like Ambadas, Jeram Patel, and J Swaminathan. He also became a core member of the influential but short-lived collective, Group 1890, formed in 1962. In 1967, due to a scholarship from the French government, Shah moved to Paris, where he studied under renowned printmakers SW Hayter and Krishna Reddy at Atelier 17. Shah, who had already received the Lalit Kala Akademi’s national award in 1956 and 1962, internalised diverse influences and developed his own distinct visual language and artistic philosophy.</p>.<p>Shah’s sculptures were uniquely conceived and skillfully produced; they were minimal in form but evocative in thought and expression. They combined a rare sophistication and a nuanced aesthetic with exceptional tones and raw earthiness. A recurring theme in his terracotta works was the monolithic head. Rendered in the sculptor’s signature style, the ‘head’ pieces exuded an air of mystery and magic.</p>.<p><strong>Hammer of the square</strong></p>.<p>Although he was well-known in art circles, it was the retrospective at the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) in New Delhi in 2016 that truly elevated Shah to the high pedestal he had long deserved. The landmark exhibition titled ‘Hammer of the Square’ showcased approximately 300 works, highlighting the artist’s diverse body of work and key themes such as the fragility and transience of human existence, the complex interplay between stillness, silence, and disquiet, as well as remnants of lost societies and cultures. The retrospective marked the conclusion of a long and thrilling journey for an artist who began his career using mud and clay bought for less than a rupee from a potter’s shop near a railway station.</p>.<p>Throughout his life, Shah remained an enigma. He believed that freedom and courage were essential and that creativity required the utmost courage. He counted Rollo May’s book ‘The Courage to Create’ as his inspiration. Shah was awarded the prestigious Kalidas Samman by the Government of Madhya Pradesh in 2003, among other honours. Despite his accomplishments, he was known to be somewhat of a loner. He never married and often faced financial struggles, only achieving the dream of having a spacious personal studio at the fag end of his life. Close friends, including the renowned photographer Raghu Rai, found Shah to be a person who preferred solitude but never hesitated to express his opinions openly.“The explorer in him never stopped at any milestone,” reminisced Rai.</p>.<p>“In his later years, he became more cheekily philosophical. The recognition and commercial success he truly deserved as an artist came quite late in his life, but he never had second thoughts about the path he had chosen. He lived a modest and honest life, something that reflected in his art as well.”</p>
<p>"With his white beard and childlike manner, Himmat Shah is among the last of the urban hermits lodged in his studio-cave,” wrote renowned art critic, historian, and curator Geeta Kapur (The Bohemian as Hermit/ARTIndia magazine/Vol 5. Issue 2). “He is also among the last of the bohemians, a free spirit in Indian art.” That was in 2000. Fast forward 25 years, and the enigmatic ‘urban hermit’ died in Jaipur on March 2, 2025, due to heart failure. He was 92.</p>.<p>Shah was, by all accounts, among the masters of modern Indian art. An indefatigable artist, he continually experimented with diverse mediums, techniques, and scales, leaving a profound mark on the art world. In a seven-decade career, he engaged in bronze casting, paper etching, architectural murals, and lithography, alongside his exceptional and widely recognised terracotta works. The courageous explorer and relentless innovator continued working even into his 90s.</p>.<p>Historians and critics who have closely followed his captivating personal and artistic evolution over the years affirm that any discussion on Indian modernist sculpture would be incomplete without acknowledging Shah’s vital contribution. They also point out that Shah was one of those rare artists who expressed their deepest thoughts and emotions through their works without worrying about societal norms and pressures of the market.</p>.<p>“Himmat turns conventional scale into mockery and allows for sheer play to dominate his vision,” observes critic Gayatri Sinha. “His work does not appear to judge the human condition. Instead, it appears to present its existential state, through terms that defy simple definition.”</p>.<p><strong>Diverse influences</strong></p>.<p>Born in 1933, in Lothal, Gujarat — a town known for its archaeological significance and dating back to the Indus Valley civilisation — Shah had a troubled relationship with his family, leading him to run away from home when he was 10. Later, however, he trained as a drawing teacher before pursuing his education at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Baroda from 1955 to 1961. During this time, he had the privilege of studying under renowned teachers such as KG Subramanyan and NS Bendre.</p>.<p>In 1962, Shah moved to Delhi, where he formed friendships with notable figures like Ambadas, Jeram Patel, and J Swaminathan. He also became a core member of the influential but short-lived collective, Group 1890, formed in 1962. In 1967, due to a scholarship from the French government, Shah moved to Paris, where he studied under renowned printmakers SW Hayter and Krishna Reddy at Atelier 17. Shah, who had already received the Lalit Kala Akademi’s national award in 1956 and 1962, internalised diverse influences and developed his own distinct visual language and artistic philosophy.</p>.<p>Shah’s sculptures were uniquely conceived and skillfully produced; they were minimal in form but evocative in thought and expression. They combined a rare sophistication and a nuanced aesthetic with exceptional tones and raw earthiness. A recurring theme in his terracotta works was the monolithic head. Rendered in the sculptor’s signature style, the ‘head’ pieces exuded an air of mystery and magic.</p>.<p><strong>Hammer of the square</strong></p>.<p>Although he was well-known in art circles, it was the retrospective at the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) in New Delhi in 2016 that truly elevated Shah to the high pedestal he had long deserved. The landmark exhibition titled ‘Hammer of the Square’ showcased approximately 300 works, highlighting the artist’s diverse body of work and key themes such as the fragility and transience of human existence, the complex interplay between stillness, silence, and disquiet, as well as remnants of lost societies and cultures. The retrospective marked the conclusion of a long and thrilling journey for an artist who began his career using mud and clay bought for less than a rupee from a potter’s shop near a railway station.</p>.<p>Throughout his life, Shah remained an enigma. He believed that freedom and courage were essential and that creativity required the utmost courage. He counted Rollo May’s book ‘The Courage to Create’ as his inspiration. Shah was awarded the prestigious Kalidas Samman by the Government of Madhya Pradesh in 2003, among other honours. Despite his accomplishments, he was known to be somewhat of a loner. He never married and often faced financial struggles, only achieving the dream of having a spacious personal studio at the fag end of his life. Close friends, including the renowned photographer Raghu Rai, found Shah to be a person who preferred solitude but never hesitated to express his opinions openly.“The explorer in him never stopped at any milestone,” reminisced Rai.</p>.<p>“In his later years, he became more cheekily philosophical. The recognition and commercial success he truly deserved as an artist came quite late in his life, but he never had second thoughts about the path he had chosen. He lived a modest and honest life, something that reflected in his art as well.”</p>