Manjit Bawa (1941-2008)

This powerful oil on canvas by Manjit Bawa highlights the artist’s deep fascination with animals as carriers of symbolic and spiritual meaning. The bull, rendered with Bawa’s characteristic softness of form and smooth modelling, emerges as a quiet yet commanding presence against his iconic vermilion red background—a colour he frequently used to create an atmosphere of intensity and meditation.

In Indian cultural symbolism, the bull often represents strength, endurance, and sacredness, most notably associated with Nandi, the divine vehicle of Shiva. Bawa’s treatment, however, moves beyond literal religious representation into a more universal and poetic space. By isolating the animal within a flat, undefined background, he removes it from narrative context and transforms it into a timeless symbol of power balanced with serenity.

Bawa was deeply influenced by Indian miniature painting, which is evident in his use of flat colour planes, controlled outlines, and the elimination of unnecessary detail. His figures, whether human or animal, possess a sculptural calmness and lyrical grace rather than anatomical realism. The gentle curvature of the bull’s body and the restrained posture suggest contained energy rather than aggression, a quality that reflects Bawa’s philosophical inclination toward harmony and introspection.

Animals such as cows, bulls, goats, horses, and dogs frequently appear in Bawa’s work as companions to human or divine figures, symbolising the interconnectedness of all living beings. This painting is a strong example of his mature period, where his visual language became highly distilled—marked by minimalism, saturated colour fields, and a spiritual quietude that sets his work apart within the narrative of Indian modernism.

The work stands as a refined example of Bawa’s unique contribution to Indian art, where simplicity becomes monumental and where form, colour, and symbolism merge into a deeply contemplative visual statement.

Location: Melbourne, Australia. Viewing strictly by appointment only.

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