Untitled

Ram Kumar's paintings of the 1970s are done in planes of colors with multiple perspectives. The works from these years are relatively flat in texture, with minimal build-up on the canvas. Although his landscapes were not realistic representations of elements from nature, "wedges of land and expanses of water; demarcations of land as arid and fertile; febrile rock and luxuriant vegetation; sunlight and shade; moisture; mist" are all communicated through his use of color. (R. Bartholomew, 'The Abstract Principle in the Paintings of Ram Kumar', Lalit Kala Contemporary 19 & 20, New Delhi, April - September 1975, p. 14.) His color palette ranges from browns to ochres to yellows. While there may not be a huge variation, "they derive their significance from their tonal subtleties, the tensions they create in passing from one tone to another." (J. Swaminathan, 'Ram Kumar - A New Stage', Lalit Kala Contemporary 40, New Delhi, March 1995, p. 42.)

His paintings relate to various aspects of his life. They are his own interpretations based on previous experiences, an amalgam of the past. Ram Kumar's works must not always be taken literally; they are not transcribing on to the canvas a direct picture from nature. Rather they are "meditating on the passage of time and transcribing his reflections" into a different language. (S. Lal, Ram Kumar, New Delhi, Vadehra Art Gallery, 1997, p. 2.)