Raghav Babbar (b. 1997, Rohtak, India) is a contemporary figurative painter whose work finds its grounding in the quiet observation of everyday life. Working primarily from life and lived experience, Babbar approaches painting as an act of attention, guided by the belief that direct observation offers the most honest way of seeing.
Babbar’s practice centres on the overlooked rhythms of daily life. Conversation, silence and shared presence shape his autobiographical portraits that surface the raw physical presence and not idealised versions of his subjects. Through cropped compositions, awkward or unguarded poses and camera-like perspectives, Babbar’s paintings echo the immediacy of photographic snapshots, yet his process is deliberate, physical and unhurried. Built slowly through dense layers of oil paint, attentive to the movement of people through space and the play of light and shadows, his works give weight and presence to ordinary moments, revealing the emotional depth held within the everyday.
Born near Delhi in the bustling city of Rohtak, known for its vibrant cloth markets, Babbar grew up surrounded by vivid colours, spirituality, and the resilience of ordinary people. Now based in London, he draws deeply from his Indian heritage while engaging with mid-20th-century British figurative traditions, creating portraits that bridge cultural roots, personal memory, and lived encounters. Babbar studied at Lasalle College of Art in Singapore and thereafter completed his MA in Painting at the Royal College of Art in London.
