Splitting the difference

A Ramachandran's earlier paintings depict life's anxieties. His later works showcase the beauty of living. Both these styles tell us about the world, our place in it, and how to make sense of it all

- Sapna Karn

A Ramachandran, who passed away in 2024 at age 89, passionately encouraged artists to "develop a visual language and grammar of their own" when he was alive.

Anyone who struggles to understand what that means should look at his own work. There's plenty of it. Ramachandran painted for seven decades (oil paintings, sculptures, watercolours, drawings, miniature paintings, and illustrations) and has reinvented himself multiple times, developing two distinct styles.

Or, they should drop in to the Vadehra Art Gallery in London, where the Kerala-born artist is being celebrated with a retrospective of more than 30 works.