July 10, 2023

More than 40 pieces of art line the walls of the Museum of Life and Science’s 30×30: Art, Nature, and Science exhibition, and we are honored to introduce you to a few of the artists. The exhibit is open through July 16 and entry is included with Museum admission.

Meet Raman Bhardwaj, a South Asian painter, illustrator, muralist, animator, designer, and the creator of Bagh of Bengal 2 (acrylic on canvas). Born and raised in Chandigarh, India, he now lives in Greensboro, NC. Read more about him here!

Please share a little bit about yourself as a person and artist.

I create murals, canvas art, book illustrations, digital paintings and designs. I have been working as a professional artist since 2000 and have displayed in several group exhibitions in India and the USA. I’ve also held solo exhibitions in India, Norway and the USA. I have painted more than 45 murals in North Carolina. Besides my passion for art, I have a deep interest in spirituality and Vedic Astrology.

What drew you to 30×30: Art, Nature, and Science?

I have been working on a series of paintings about tigers and when I got to know about the 30×30: Art, Nature, and Science show I thought it would be a nice fit to participate and share my love for the tigers. The Museum of Life and Science is a prominent place and that also attracted me to try to get my art displayed in the building and reach the masses.

How does your piece, Bagh of Bengal 2, showcase art, nature, and science?

Bagh of Bengal 2 is an ode to the beauty of tigers. The tiger is a national animal of India, my birth country, and is a magnificent animal. Over the last century the population of tigers has been on a great decline due to poaching and habitat loss, making it an endangered species. The painting is an effort to contribute to the cause of raising awareness about saving tigers.

Please share some insight into your process behind making Bagh of Bengal 2.

Bagh of Bengal 2 is painted with acrylic colors on a canvas using an airbrush. Since it is a naturalistic painting the first step was to find a good reference photo and license it to use as my inspiration. After I found a photograph which matched my idea, I set out to create my stylized version of a tiger’s profile. For this I drew a very light sketch with minimal lines using a pencil on the canvas. I kept my palette limited by using only transparent black and brown. I employed a set of French curves to create some sharp curves in the art as I sprayed thin transparent layers of paint on the canvas to create a very soft and airy look. The majority of the shapes are laid out only once leaving little or no scope for editing and overlaying as it would make the paint opaque. In few calculated sprays the tiger’s face came to being on the canvas in a minimalistic transparent look.

Is there anything else you’d like our visitors to know about your piece, process, or the intersection of art and the global conservation movement?

This piece is a reminder of the magnificence of the tigers, and through the roar of a tiger, it attempts to raise a voice for protecting the species from poaching and habitat loss.

I believe art is a strong medium to raise awareness and sensitize people about any social or environmental cause, and this effort by the Museum of Life and Science can be very effective contribution in the global conservation movement by starting discussions among people who look at the art and those who will buy the art and spread the message through their private collection among their circles.

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Be sure to check out Raman Bhardwaj’s pieces and all the works in 30×30: Art, Nature, and Science now through July 16. Visitors are also invited to cast their vote for their favorite piece! The winner of the Visitors’ Prize will be announced at a later date, so click here to make your choice.

The exhibit is located on the first floor of the main building next to Gizmo Garage and is open during Museum hours.