Emergence

The realization of the innate force of the bindu has been an integral part of Raza's oeuvre since the late 1980's. The bindu, or the black point, can be variously interpreted as zero, drop, seed, or sperm and it is the genesis of creation. It is the cosmic egg gestating within the womb of the unmanifested universe; ready for germination. The bindu is also the focal point for meditation and the principle around which Raza structures his canvases. According to Raza, his work is the "...result of two parallel enquiries. Firstly, it is aimed at pure plastic order. Secondly, it concerns nature. Both have converged into a single point. The bindu symbolizes the seed, bearing the potential for all life. It is also a visible form containing all the requisites of line, tone, color, texture and space." (Artists Today: East West Visual Encounter, Marg Publications, Bombay, 1985, p. 18).