Himmat is like the wind. Those in his path are swept away by his gentleness and, at times, his ferocity; both, however, are as blameless as the wind itself. We have had the privilege of working with Himmat for nearly twenty years. In this time, he has worked at the Bronze Age Foundry in the UK at their sculpture studio in Limehouse Basin to create a body of bronzes during his many visits to London. This publication documents the 36 Bronzes he produced there between 2007–18.

It is often held against Himmat that he is starkly mercurial. This is part of his allure, and the variety and depth of his work is achieved through this mysterious and unpredictable flow that we know as Himmat.

When Himmat is at work he inspires the observer in a way that clay enthuses a child. Many at the foundry stood to see the magic which starts with Himmat moulding clay with his hands. Then his vast array of self-made tools become an extension the body, and together the clay is added to and taken from; poked, punctured and mended; caressed and compacted; revered like a deity and loved like a newborn and then he stops and walks away.

The clay then loses its organic form under the carefree presence of the artist and turns into a silicon rubber mould. It is then converted into a wax model and the finest quality bronze is melted and poured over the wax which is encased in a shell to create his bronze casts through the traditional lost wax process with the assistance of some of the best bronze casters in the world at the Bronze Age Foundry.

The result is the highest quality of bronze casts that endeavour to stand for the beauty of Himmat Shah. It is a marvel to see how something so hard represents something so subtle.

Tanuj Berry and Saman Malik

March 2020

New Delhi

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For most artists, their work is a reflection of their experiences—a tool, a means of expression for encapsulating their politics and philosophies. For Himmat, his art is his world.

Himmat’s masterful capacity to understand and play with the many possibilities of the sculptural form is as powerful, nuanced, and diverse as the many mediums he has explored over the years. From murals in brick and cement to experiments in terracotta and clay and, finally, bronze, Himmat has pushed the tactile boundaries of each medium to develop an unparalleled vocabulary that is undoubtedly and uniquely his own. The 36 bronze sculptures in this series produced over the span of a decade are an extension of his previous work, but also a departure from it. Even now, at 87, Himmat is reinventing himself.

We share a long friendship with Himmat and are delighted to see this book come to fruition. It is our honour and privilege to be a part of it.

Minal and Dinesh Vazirani
Saffronart
March 2020
Mumbai