The dramatic palette of this work corresponds to the seering light that Sargy experienced on his trip to India in 1999. Painted with very limited vision, Sargy described this period, 

 

"I paint for the joy that comes from discovering what the world looks like. Trying to invent a coloured metaphor that will preserve the experience, becomes the process which reveals and intensifies it and which leads to some sort of understanding. If my paintings can share some of this joy with others, that seems to be worthwhile. Even now, when I am almost blind there is still so much more to see. The intensity of the light in India, was a revelation which showed me that there was more that I could do with colour. l don't think that we have got that far with seeing the world, I'm sure that there will always be more to discovered."

​

As quoted on the Sargy Mann Archive website <http://sargymannarchive.com/sargy-mann-series/india-2/#page>

​

With many thanks to Peter Mann for his help in cataloguing this painting.

​

​

*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       * 

​

​

Sargy Mann was born in Hythe, Kent in 1937. He studied at the Camberwell School of Art and then returned to the school as a lecturer from 1969-1988. He held a number of other academic and curatorial positions including, co-curator of the "Bonnard at le Bosquest" exhibition at the Hayward Gallery (1994) and Visiting lecturer at the Prince's Drawing School (1999-2008). He exhibited extensively at the Royal Academy, Royal College of Art and the Mall Galleries.

 

Sargy was diagnosed with cataracts at the age of 36 and ultimately lost his sight but continued to paint and exhibit to astonishing effect for the last 25 years of his life.

 

His obituary can be read here and further information on Sargy can be found at the sargymannarchive.com