A portrait’s worth

Artist Rishabh Sud aims to revive the culture of portraiture in the world of selfies

Portraiture artist Rishabh Sud brings back the golden era of self-portraits with his exhibition titled ‘Moments 2007-2015’. On display will be a collection of 50 works showcasing the old master technique in classical realism. Trained under eminent artists like Michael John Angel and Jered Woznicki, at the Angel Academy of Arts, Rishabh combines elements of 19th century neoclassicism and realism with his modern 20th century skills.

According to the artist, his first solo exhibition is an attempt to revive methods of artistic training and techniques that pre-date modern art. “Portraiture as a medium of artistic expression has been largely forgotten in the era of selfies. This exhibition is an attempt to bring back some of the lost glory of this artistic practice. In the earlier days, it was a sign of wealth, where the patron would call upon the artist to showcase them at their best 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. I create paintings from directly observing the nature, and deliberately avoid the use of photography or other mechanical aids in my artistic practice.”

Dedicating his show to his father Satish Sud, a well-known graphic designer and artist, Rishabh Sud says his father always wanted to hold an exhibition of his own as an artist before his death in 1998. In this exhibition, Rishabh has used charcoal and oil as a medium of expression. His eye for detailing and meticulous draughtsmanship can be seen in his portraits.

The collection also traces the technical journey of portraits as a medium of art, Rishabh says, “I am a classically trained artist and to master the skill I have been working in this medium since the last eight years. I have used painting methods inspired from old masters such as Rembrandt, Sargent, Zorn, Annigonni, Bonnat and Raja Ravi Verma, to name a few, but with a modern approach. I have combined techniques from both impressionism and academic art to create a style of my own.”

Portraits aim to capture the characteristic of a person for centuries together, states Rishabh. He adds, “It brings out the sitter’s unique sense of individuality, which allows the viewer an insight into their characters. After all, the person will grow old, but the portrait doesn’t.” Talking about his technique he says, “I have spent the last eight years training in classical realism in Florence, and I wanted to showcase the beauty of a technique, so I did not rush through the course, instead I mastered the skill. For me skill is more important, one can automatically master the technique through practice.”

For this exhibition some prominent people like Maharaja Hira Singh of Nabha, ace fashion photographer Hemant Khandelwal, actors Virat and Aamir Raza Husain, director Muzaffar Ali and his wife Meera, volunteered as his muse.

Taking about his subjects, he says, “I work hard to develop paintings that speak both to me and to the viewer about the inner beauty that exists inside the subject. 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 do not merely want to capture an image with my brushes, rather with careful, colourful strokes I want to recreate that moment in time.”

Reflecting on the present state of portraiture art in India, he states, “We are yet to witness an artist movement in this genre of artistic practice.”