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Rakesh Kumar

"Hi, my name is Rakesh Kumar and I was born on July 29, 1976 in the fascinating city of Delhi. It has so much to offer in terms of opportunity and new experiences. Every day is a new experience for me. As a child I often navigated my pen and pencil into creative work. Eventually, I took up drawing as a subject in my 10th and 12th standard. This is where I experienced the real inspiration to choose the mesmerizing field of art. So after my 12th, I applied to study for a BFA. It was a tough journey just getting admitted to the college, since there are lots of aspirants but very few seats. I got through only after a couple of attempts, but I never lost heart, and finally my hard work paid off.

"While studying for my Bachelor of Fine Arts, I came across a lot of new things. Although I had already done a great number of paintings, there were lots of new things to learn. From the traditional still life to drawing to abstract to realist styles… I just loved it. I continued experimenting with new ideas and thoughts, and wanted to involve myself in my work. The canvas is my world and I create things that relate to me.

"Normally I love working on life-size figures. Muscular figures interest me and, since I am a man myself, I feel I can communicate this. Through my paintings I want to convey my feelings and emotions.

"I also learned the art of silkscreen printing while studying for my BFA and it turned out to be really interesting. Today, I have a huge collection of my prints. The technique is quite similar to batik, however we use stencils to create the pattern. Here also, I try and work on masculine themes and human relationships. After my BFA, I wanted to learn more about the mystical work of art so I pursued an MA in drawing and painting and continued on to receive my Ph.D in the same field.

"It has been a wonderful journey so far, and over the years I have matured. In the future I would definitely like to teach art in a good school. I have also participated in several exhibitions. Being associated with Novica gives me a lot of joy. I hope people will appreciate my work."