Creation and Destruction

Hebbar's evolution as an artist reveals a gradual movement from academic realism to near-abstraction. The central theme in his oeuvre has always been man. In later works, this translates into his preoccupation with man's scientific and technological development. Having lived through two world wars, Hebbar's fascination with science is not without an element of discomfort. 'I was conscious of the seeds of destruction that technology carried in its womb'. (K.K. Hebbar, Voyages in Images, Mumbai, 1991.)