One of the holy lands of India gave birth to another great human, artist M F Husain (b. 17 Sep 1975 – 9 Jun 2011). The man who had become a prey to the sentimental controversy of India and sought another country for living. One of the greatest Indian artists of the 20th century, famous worldwide.
The unique star was born to Fida and Zunaib Husain on the famous land of Maharashtra. In Pandharpur, India. His paintings explored the culture of Hindu. And its ethnic groups even though he was Muslim. The religious boundaries do not matter to any prolific artist. His pen and brushes mostly explored the Mahabharata, Ramayana, Indian Actors, and painted many Indian films.
Sixty thousand paintings is a significant number for his 95 years of service. According to his one of the interviews to Sunday Indian Magazine he quoted,
M F Husain Quote
I was fond of drawing since childhood. I never threw tantrums for anything else apart from rubber, pencil, paint, and brush. I used to draw on every possible space. My relatives gave up on me.
M F Husain
Journey of M F Husain
Soon he stepped-in on the land of million people’s dream city, Mumbai (Mayavi Nagari). Soon the city brought him up to the next phase of his life. He could earn his wages that he could easily survive in one of the richest cities of India for his two times meal and other expenses (brushes and paints).
Nude artistic thoughts troubles
Husain's nude artistic thoughts started soon gearing up when he went on exploring the nearest Bazaar’s streets (the famous place of Mumbai’s prostitution takes place. Now it is called Kamathipura), watching locals stripping off the sex workers. In his work, he only brought realities in front of the society that could be seen in his work.
Success stories in arts
Moreover, He was no more ordinary man, art lovers made him a celebrity and his work praised by millions. Mr M F was honoured with Padmashee, Padmabhushan, and Padmavibhushan in 1966, 1973, and 1991 respectively (There are other awards too for his lifetime achievements).
Achieved the tittle “Picasso of India”
Mr Husain named Picasso of India by Forbes Magazine. In the year 2006 Dark cloud surrounded him and Hindu found his pencil like a sword that murdered the sentiment of millions of Hindus. However, in one of the artworks when he sketched nude Bharat Mata or Mother of India (Goddesses of Hindu).
Troubles in own country
As well as, many lawsuits had filed against him, Bajaranji Dal also attacked his home (The Bajrang Dal is a religious militant organization that forms the youth wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. It is a member of the RSS family of organizations. The ideology of the organization based on Hindutva). Many death threats had invited to him unwontedly.
Matters are so legally complicated that I have been advised not to return home.
M F Husain
He soon had to seek to expel to the Gulf, despite his strong desire not to leave his homeland. Later he lived in London and Doha for his last few years of life.
M F Husain Painting Price
In 2008, he had become the highest-paid artist at Christie’s Auction, he earned around $1.6 million.
However, in one of his statements, he said that I will always be Indian, my cremation will be followed in the same country where I will die. His family announced on June 9th, 2011. He took his last breath and his rituals had performed in London’s Royal Brompton Hospital and was buried in Brook wood Cemetery on 10 June 2011.
M F Husain Paintings
“Lightning created in 1975, during a very controversial period in India’s history, to be the backdrop of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s Emergency speech. Given the short time frame that M.F. Husain had to complete the work, it was titled Lightning because it came about quickly. The masterpiece was made up of twelve massive panels with ten wild, white horses charging through an open space.
The significance of the painting is heightened not only by its sheer size or the brilliant rendering of its subject by the artist but also the time it was executed and the ideologies it stands for.
The painting included depictions of family planning, farmers and their families, and a builder with an axe in hand. The work portrayed the political climate of the time in India post-separation.
This book was conceived in honour of Husain, and various anecdotal stories and interviews on the painting from a part of this book. The selected authors invited writing on “Lightning” to address the painting as well as its creator from various angles.
It is an attempt to create a whole story around this masterpiece; every brush stroke and every inch of the canvas has a story, secretly tucked away amid the powerfully rendered horses, that is left for the beholder to decipher. Published in association with Tamarind Art, New York, and Asia Society Museum, New York”.
After reading M. F. Husain, Also, read other contemporary artists. Moreover, from “The Progressive Artist Group” K H Ara, Dual artist, Bakre, and Raza whose inspiration of life was beauty of India.
