Born in Mumbai in 1928, Homi Patel immersed himself in the vibrant artistic scene after graduating from the JJ School of Art in 1952 Actively participating in the creative milieu, he engaged with fellow artists at the Bhulabhai Institute, a hub for experimentation where Ebrahim Alkazi led a theatre workshop, and Ravi Shankar established a music school Collaborating with friends K Ambadas, Apollinario D'Souza, and SG Nikam Patel formed a group advocating for the uncompromising rigour of a non-figurative idiom Despite the challenges, he remained steadfast in this commitment, navigating a solitary and sometimes melancholic artistic path

Patel's non-representational art underwent various phases, including a series of paintings characterised by a textured white-on-white technique that he affectionately referred to as his "Quiet Paintings" Embracing tachist spontaneity, he skillfully employed calligraphic techniques, depicting cotton-wool quasars imploding on surfaces and the orbits of subatomic particles zipping across his conjured realms

During the 1950s and 1960s, Patel earned an esteemed reputation as a representative of Indian art, showcasing his work at international exhibitions in Vienna, Zurich, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, and Tokyo In India, he exhibited with prestigious galleries such as Gallery Chemould and the Pundole Art Gallery in Mumbai

Homi Patel's artistic legacy endures through his works, which are housed in the permanent collections of institutions like the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai The acclaimed artist passed away in 2004