Gulam Rasool Santosh

Gulam Rasool Santosh, a poet and painter from Kashmir, was born in 1929 into a middle-class family. After completing his matriculation in 1945 with painting as a subject, Santosh had to abandon further studies due to his father's death. He took up various jobs, such as signboard painting, silk weaving, and whitewashing walls, to support himself. Gradually, he shifted to commercial art and became skilled in papier-mâché. In 1950, he joined the Progressive Arts Association in Kashmir, thanks to the efforts of artist S H Raza. As a member, Santosh exhibited his work across India. He received a government scholarship in 1954 to study Fine Arts under N S Bendre at MS University, Baroda.

Early in his career, Santosh was inspired by geometric shapes and the mysticism of Kashmir. His semi-abstract paintings of snow-clad houses and the Jhelum river's backwaters showcased his keen visual perception. Initially a landscape painter, he later embraced Cubism, creating Cubist landscapes that gained popularity. According to his son Shabir, also an artist, Santosh's emotional connection to his homeland added a refreshing touch to his work.

A visit to the Amarnath temple in 1964 marked another turning point for Santosh. He paused his painting to study Tantra and Kashmir Shaivism. Influenced by Tantra philosophy, he depicted combined male and female forms, focusing on the human form without the face, hands, and feet. His subjects during this period were often dominated by Shiv-Shakti themes.
Santosh's contributions to Tantric art led the movement in the art world. In the 1970s, he created a series of seventeen paintings reflecting the loneliness of modern man, described by a critic as representing "the landscape of the heart." These paintings used translucent colours like red, black, and white.

Since 1953, Santosh has held over thirty solo exhibitions. He received the Lalit Kala Akademi award in 1973 and the Padma Shri in 1977. He passed away in 1997 in New Delhi.