Bindu
Quicksand, Goa 2016
Bindu
A VR Art Experience Inspired by S.H. Raza
Bindu is a meditative, interactive VR experience that immerses users in the life and art of one of India’s most iconic modern painters—Sayed Haider Raza (1922–2016). Drawing from Indian spiritual philosophy where Bindu represents the point of origin, unity, and infinite potential, the experience traces the personal and artistic evolution of Raza across four experiential levels.
As the first chapter in a series of VR art journeys dedicated to celebrating contemporary Indian artists, Bindu serves a broader purpose: to foster inclusive, immersive art education in India, making modern Indian art accessible and engaging for new generations.
Concept
Bindu is not a passive VR showcase—it is an experiential game that mirrors Raza’s journey from inner conflict to creative clarity. Each level represents a distinct period in his life:
Childhood in India: The user reenacts a pivotal moment from Raza’s early life—his schoolteacher instructing him to concentrate on a single dot (bindu). This simple act of focus becomes the gateway to deeper self-awareness, echoed later in his artistic journey.
Mid-life in France: Immersed in the environment where Raza was influenced by Western modernism and Impressionism, players are tasked with solving a jigsaw puzzle, symbolizing the process of artistic construction and conceptual assembly that defined this phase.
Return to India – The Emergence of the Bindu: In this stage, players help complete one of Raza’s abstract paintings by painting the Bindu—a moment that encapsulates his return to India, both physically and philosophically.
Immersion into the Artistic Cosmos: The final stage drops the viewer into a fully navigable 3D universe extrapolated from Raza’s own visual language. Abstract shapes, colors, and forms surround the player in a meditative realm inspired directly by his paintings.
Throughout the journey, a voiceover drawn from Raza’s own words accompanies the experience, guiding the viewer through personal reflections and artistic milestones.
Technical Write-Up
VR Platform: Developed in Unity
Visual Assets: Designed in Cinema4D, drawing directly from Raza’s visual motifs and compositional structures
Sound & Music: All music was composed in-house, blending Indian classical and ambient textures that shift with each level to reflect Raza’s changing geography and emotional states
Narrative Voiceover: Based on Raza’s writings and interviews, adapted into a guiding voice for users
Interaction across levels is intuitive yet symbolic—meditation, construction, completion, and immersion—echoing the thematic arc of Raza’s life and work.
Context & Future Development
Bindu was conceived as the inaugural project in a larger VR Art Series that seeks to bring the stories and philosophies of modern Indian artists to life in new digital formats. The upcoming chapters will spotlight influential figures such as:
Amrita Sher-Gil
Mario Miranda
Jamini Roy
F.N. Souza
These experiences will aim to blend art history, interactivity, and narrative design to engage audiences with India’s rich visual legacy in a radically contemporary way.