Ramkumar, could be regarded as one of the first-generation of post-independence artists. His contemporaries include the likes of M F Hussain, F.N Souza, SH Raza and Akbar Padamsee. The 20th century modernisms of Paris, Vienna and London served as an inspiration for him combined with a desire to ethnically belong to the homeland- in its inherent Indianness. Ramkumar’s search for an Indian identity has transcended mere motifs and figurations. As an artist he has transcended from figurative works to an abstraction. Having renounced the active engagement with the state and civil society that had earlier characterised his position, the artist has turned gradually inward, choosing to be an internal exile of the spirit. This withdrawal affords him the space in which to reflect upon the great natural forces that have enthralled him since his childhood, to gauge their metaphorical import: in their workings, he senses the deeper intrigue of time as kala, the destroyer of worlds.
He began his artistic journey studying at Sharada Ukil school of Art. He later went to Paris and trained under Andre Lhote and Fernand Legar. He was one of the members of Bombay Progressive Arts School.
His initial artworks had figurations which later transcended into abstract landscapes. In a conversation with Satyajit Ray, he stated that he was trying to say nothing through his paintings. The nothingness, reveals an essence which would otherwise be lost with the preoccupation with forms and figurations.