Raju Baraiya

Raju Baraiya

Glenfiddich Artists in Residence programme is a one-of-its-kind art residency that inspires emerging artists across the globe to experiment and innovate with art in an unusual setting- the home of Glenfiddich. Known for its passion for innovation and curating distinct experiences, Glenfiddich encourages the spirit of reinvention and the Glenfiddich Artists in Residence programme is a testimony to this. Instituted in India, in collaboration with Bestcollegeart.com, the recipient of the 8th edition of the ‘Emerging Artist of the Year’ award, Vadodara based artist Raju Baraiya has been awarded a three-month art residency at the Glenfiddich distillery in Dufftown, Scotland.

Raju Baraiya

The Artist
Raju is based out of Vadodara, Gujarat. He has completed his diploma in painting of Fine Arts, M.S. University, Vadodara, Gujarat in 2013. Currently he is pursuing post diploma in painting from Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S. University, Vadodara, Gujarat. He was awarded the Prafulla Dahanukar- the Gujarat State award Maharashtra, ABIR art "First Take" Award, Nasereen Mohammadi Best Display award and many others.

Raju Baraiya

The Work
‘My practice springs out of this shift from a strong rural background to an urban one. Village for me is a unique space holding its own character and strength. These spaces present an impression of an inherent belief in the way they are. Although with more easily available technologies and ever spreading urban boundaries, there has been a gentle merging of the two in recent times. This nevertheless does not deprive the rural from its rural character. One can easily find rural traits in people migrating to cities for various reasons. The way these places are, makes you think in a particular way as and when you find yourself closer to them. This rural character remains intrinsic and contradicts with the urban. My inspiration comes from observing and diagnosing the rural in relation to the urban and vice - versa. The continuous push and pull between the rural and urban makes me wonder. I have been deriving imagery from these seemingly ambiguous notions of the urban and the rural. The complexities between the two spaces create a common meeting ground for me to explore through an impression I hold of them. My intention being to translate the ever evolving image of there convergence.  A kind of workable space, where both these worlds come at one place for me. A space to be manipulated and redefined and even fantacised at the same time. My impressions and insights urge me to approach them in a manner of mark making. These marks further proceed in a representative image of convergence. The images and associative memories coincide with each other to redefine an existing relation or to present a newer contradiction.’


Text Platform Desk