Born in Rohtak, near Delhi, Raghav Babbar is a young painter whose figurative paintings draw upon his Indian heritage and mid-20th-century British art techniques. His portrait works offer vivid, intimate encounters with his sitters, captured in luscious application of oil paint, building layers that evoke the corporeal reality of these people. During the painting process, Babbar is careful to learn about his sitter, allowing him to create not just their physical but also spiritual likenesses on the canvas. In addition to finding inspiration through his friends and family, the artist depicts ordinary individuals from across India’s diverse society, who rarely attract the spotlight. Babbar connects with his subjects on a personal level – be they farmers, fisherman and market sellers – and always forefronts their humanity and individuality over their role or status. As the artist explains, “I am mostly interested in the emotional side and human expressions.”

Although still in his 20s, Babbar’s technical mastery enables him to create visually striking works that are profoundly emotive. He pays particular attention to light, preferring to depict his subjects in daylight which heightens the potential for light and shadow. This dramatic intensity transforms otherwise mundane or unnoticed moments into tableaux with great emotional gravitas, facilitating a deeper level of connection that transcends geography, culture and status.

Although best known for his single figure paintings, the artist has begun to experiment with compositions featuring multiple figures, reflecting his constant development and continued contribution to the contemporary art scene.

Raghav Babbar (b. 1997, Rohtak, India), first studied at Lasalle College of Art in Singapore, and achieved recognition for his participation in a group exhibition at The Institute of Contemporary Art, Singapore in 2019. He furthered his training with a MFA at the Royal College of Art in London in 2022. His painting practice is deeply inspired by his extensive early travels through the northern Indian states of Uttarakhand and Sikkim, where he was profoundly moved by the spirituality of the people and culture, and deepened his understanding of his Indian heritage. Following his first solo gallery show in the UK with Waterhouse & Dodd in 2021 while still a student, a number of Babbar's works sold at auction for six-figure sums. His work has been featured by Vogue India, Whitewall, Artsy, and Esquire India. Raghav currently lives and works in London.