“Mostly people
are ignorant, what is the language of painting. You know, they're ignorant. It
is so difficult to make them aware, but time will teach them. I'm an Indian-origin painter. I will remain so to my last breath”
Born into an Islamic family on 17th of September ,1915 in Pandharpur, Maharashtra , Maqbool Fida Husain brought up himself as a self-taught Artist. From An early Age, He had the adoration towards Painting. Commonly known as MF Husain, he was an Indian painter and Film Director. At an early age he learnt the art of calligraphy and practiced the Kufi khat with its geometric forms. He also learnt to write poetry while staying with an uncle in a madrasa in Baroda, an art that has stayed with him through his life. His early education was perfunctory but Husain's love of drawing was evident even at this stage. Whenever he got a chance he would strap his painting gear to his bicycle and drive out to the surrounding countryside of Indore to paint the landscape. In 1937 he reached Mumbai determined to become an artist, with hardly any money .Initially Husain apprenticed himself to a painter of cinema hoardings which he would paint with great dexterity perched on scaffolding sometimes in the middle of traffic in the 1940’s.
Husain was noticed for the
first time in 1947 when he won an award at the annual exhibition of the Bombay
Art Society. Subsequently he was invited by Souza to join the Progressive
Artist's Group. A great deal of experimentation in the early years led to some
remarkable works like “ Between The Spider And The Lamp”, “Zameen and Man” and
many more. By 1955 he was one of the leading artists in India and had been
awarded the Padma Shri by the Indian Government. He was a special invitee along with Pablo
Picasso at the Sao Paulo Biennial in 1971.
In 1967 he won the Golden
Bear at the International Film Festival at Berlin for his documentary “Through
the Eyes of a Painter” and has made several short films since then. Husain was awarded the
Padma Bhushan in 1973, the Padma Vibhushan in 1989 and was nominated to the
Rajya Sabha in 1986. One of the most charismatic artists of India he is known
for his emphatic understanding of the human situation and his speedy evocation
of it in paint. The early evolution of his painterly language was overtaken by
adventurous forays into installations and performance art. His experimentations
with new forms of art are both unexpected and pioneering.
In the 1990’s, Because of
certain paintings, M.F Husain faced hatred by a particular community in India.
The paintings that he made then became religious controversies. While in 1996,
Husain’s reputation as a painter was being pulled to ground. In 1998, His House
was attacked by a group of religious institutions out of rage and orthodoxism.
This was later compromised mutually by both sides.
It
is a notable fact the Husain was a great admirer of Madhuri Dixit . In 2000,
M.F Husain comes up with his short film Gaja Gamini which is said to be a
tribute to Madhuri . Later his short film Meenaxi: A tale of three cities was
again under religious controversies. Hundreds of lawsuits
in connection with Husain's allegedly obscene art were outstanding as of 2007. A warrant was issued for his arrest
after he did not appear at a hearing, though this warrant was later suspended. Husain also received death threats.
Husain lived in
self-imposed exile from 2006 until his death. He
generally lived in Doha and summered in
London.
In 2010, he was
conferred Qatari nationality, and he surrendered his
Indian passport. For the last years of his life Husain lived in Doha and
London, staying away from India, but expressing a strong desire to return, despite
fears of being killed
“Still as they say
Hindi hain hum watan hain, Hindustan hamara ; These boundaries are only
political boundaries, especially the visual arts is a universal language, you
can be anywhere in the world but the work that you do has a strong link to
5,000 years of our great Indian culture”; said M.F Husain on being asked
about surrendering his Indian Passport.
The art that Husain gave to this world eminently makes him the
Picasso of India. His admirers still miss him to the core.
Mohammed Fahad ,a native of
Mumbai who has spent a major span of his teenage in the Gulf namely Saudi
Arabia and Kuwait City is a distant nephew of M.F Husain. Considering it to be
a “Non-Traditional Art”, Fahad landed to his interest in Sketching and
Painting at an Early Age. Being an Admirer of Husain, Fahad says “his paintings and art have always been an
inspiration to me”.
Highlighting the precious moments that he spent with his distant Uncle, Fahad
says, “To
meet the Picasso of India was a big deal, an honor for me. He was a very simple
man filled with greatness. Even after he achieved the heights of fame he stuck
to simplicity and maintained his values. We discussed some of my works that I
wanted to show him. After we had the conversation he kept his hand over my arms
and he said 'come let’s take a picture' and we posed. It was a golden moment
for me that would cherish for the lifetime. It has always been a matter of
pride that I am related to him even if distantly. I have admired all his works
particularly the paintings of horses as I share the same kind of love for
sketching horses”.
Talking to Fahad , who is currently pursuing
Dentistry at a College in Hyderabad made me feel as if I was talking to an
Artist. His works that he shared actually reflects the blessings of M.F Husain
that has led his art far off the barriers of perfection. “Just speak your
heart out on the board or paper in front of you! Painting or sketching is more
about feel than what you think” says the teenage artist and a distant nephew
of M.F Husain.
Popularly known as the 'Picasso of India', Mr Husain was among the
earliest Indian painters to command huge prices at international auctions. "My heart will always be in
India...it is my beloved land," were the words Husain uttered while he
exiled himself from India repeatedly expressing a yearning to return to India.
Early on the 9th of June
2011, M.F Husain left for his Heavenly abode leaving this World empty of
Art at the age of 95 in London. His loss was felt throughout the World. His
admirers considered it to be the death of a “Legend”.
Though Husain is no more
with us but his paintings shall speak of him always. What he gave to this World
is nothing great but his paintings, which is a treasure of Art and Imagination
in itself. These paintings express the love and respect he had for his Country.
With loads and loads of memories Maqbool Fida Husain proudly gets his name
written in the history of the World for ever.
“Tu
kahe to main unwan badal dun, lekin ek umr darkaar hai afsaana badalne ke liye . Whether my paintings are done in New
York, Qatar, only the title has changed, nothing else. In my small way, I have
told my own story, which I hope will remain the hearts of millions of my
countrymen”.
-Maqbool Fida Husain.
Written in honor of Late Mr. M.F Husain By Ibrahim Abdeali (Ace). All the above information reserves its legal rights. Its publication in any form without the prior consent of the Author shall be a punishable offense.