With spray paint cans, US-based artist Raman Bhardwaj pays tribute to 'corona warriors'

Sheetal

The artist’s job is to be a witness to his time in history. — Robert Rauschenberg

Going by this dictum, Chandigarh-born artist Raman Bhardwaj, who shifted to the US in 2018, has been working on a mobile mural to pay a tribute to coronavirus warriors. While the world is under lockdown, Raman did what he knew best. With spray paint cans, he has paid a tribute to the real superheroes — healthcare workers.

Raman explains, “Being able to bring some positivity into the negative environment out there feels kind of good. Thanks to all those working right now, we will be able to come out of this long battle. The artwork was supposed to be on some panel at first, but then we were offered to do it on a truck.” And, it took them two days to complete the project.

Mural magic

A freelance artist for a decade and illustrator for print media, it is a bit surprising that Raman tried his hand at murals only after he moved to America. Ask him the proud moments as an artist till now and he says, “One would be winning Art Pop Street Gallery award in 2019. My artwork Flight of Fancy was selected to be on high billboard for one year in different cities from Greensboro to Nashville. The other proud moment is the Mera Naam Joker mural — 22×30 feet painted in 2019 at Red Cinemas for Kotis Street Art. It was my first mural of this size in a new medium of spray paint, which made me popular among the local people. It was a leap of faith for me as I had no prior experience of that extensive level and it came out really well. I wish my parents were alive to see all this. They were very supportive and proud of my art.”

In 2019, he was also selected to paint a mural for the US Government’s Department of ‘Parks and recreation’ in Greensboro. His entry was selected as the best; a 9×9 feet mural he designed and painted all by himself.

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About his plans, he adds, “I am more focused on canvas art, murals and children book illustrations. I am contemplating giving art lessons to kids and grown-ups. I would like to paint a mural during one of my visits to India to inspire artists and show people in my homeland the magic of murals.”

As for Raman’s inspiration, it comes from Spanish artist Belin, and Australian artists Adnate and Fintan Magee.