Hyderabad: From childhood doodles to published cartoons, from sketching to water colours, oils, and VR art, Dr. Neeraj Raj’s journey has always followed the ways of two worlds: medicine and creativity.
His remarkable journey will be on display at Rajniketan on Sunday. “Each person’s art has a story to tell. Through this exhibition, I am trying to tell mine,” says Dr. Raj, a cardiologist, who never let go of his first love. “Art stayed with me through everything,” he says.
He experimented with many mediums over the years, from sketching to water colours, oil painting, and then virtual reality. His career led him into medical illustration, animation and eventually VR technology. This new medium became an extension of his creative expression. The ensuing exhibition will feature his paintings and immersive VR experiences. One of the exhibits depicts Hyderabad’s Old City. Viewers who put on goggles will find themselves inside the artwork itself.
“You’re not just looking at the painting on the wall. You’re inside it,” he explains. “It’s a 360-degree experience, as if the city is around you.”
The open-air venue is a deliberate choice. He wanted a space that connected to nature. The trees and the lawn will create a setting that is closer to the way he prefers to create art. The evening will bring together people from different fields. Artists, doctors, architects, animators, and anyone drawn to the idea that creativity does not have to exist in isolation will find a space to connect.
Dr. Raj understands this well. His sketches are in hundreds and they document faces from across Hyderabad. He has drawn artists, doctors, former classmates, and everyday people. Some of these will be part of the display, along with his water colours and oil paintings.
Long before touchscreen technology became common, he installed kiosks on the city streets to offer public information about the city. Before smartphones, he would sit at street corners, sketching places and moments that are now part of his visual archive. The city has changed, but many of these images remain familiar. Incidentally, this exhibition serves as a reconnection on the eve of his 60th birthday.
“Somewhere along the way, I lost touch with many people. This brings them all back,” he says. He also sees it as an invitation. “If a doctor can pursue his passion, so can anyone else.”
The Urban Sketchers of Hyderabad, an artists’ collective he co-founded in 2016 will sketch live from 4 pm to 6 pm. The exhibition is open to all and offers more than a collection of artworks.
