With the death of artist Ram Kumar this April, India lost one of its foremost abstractionists. In his oeuvre spanning six decades, the human condition remained a key facet. Art aficionados can learn more about the life and work of the legend at the screening of Ram Kumar, Nostalgic Longing by French filmmaker, Laurent Brégeat. Shot in 2010, the film is part of the Living Legends of Indian Contemporary Art series produced by the Lalit Kala Akademi.

Many artists from the Progressive Artists' Group, which Kumar was associated with, had a deep connection with Paris. "Paris has played an important role for many generations of artists. In this context, several Indian artists including Raza, Ram Kumar and Padamsee had all been in Paris and were affected by the cosmopolitan city that was recovering from the World War as well as being at the forefront of art at the time," says Ashvin Rajagopalan, director, Piramal Museum of Art, which is presenting the screening in collaboration with the Raza Foundation and Alliance Française.