M F Husain Archives

“When unaccompanied man thinks, it evokes a passion in loneliness which brings up a timeless gift to own life”

Passion of life overcomes the any creepy path of thousands of miles. The one was K H Ara (b. 16 April 1914 — d. 30 Jun 1985) from India who was famous for his Black nudes paintings.

His full name was Krishnaji Howlaji Ara and considered one of the self-taught artist who ran away from his home at the age of 7. However, his most of the paintings symbol stillness and for the most part, focused on nude paintings.

Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.
John D. Rockefeller

By K H Ara (Credit: DAG)

Before he could join The “Progressive Artist Group” he was struggling with life, but never being hesitant on accepting as it is. He cleaned the cars, worked at houses as a houseboy. He also took part in Salt Satyagraha Movements conducted by M K Gandhi in the year 1869–1948. Not only that, but he was jailed for five months.

The struggling artist never give up even upon the desensitizing of the “Progressive Artist Group” when M F Husain, Souza, Gade, Raza and Bakre flew onshore with the passage of time. He did solo group shows during 1948–1955, his forward-looking travel was notable and reckoned a prime time in his life.

Whatever you are, be a good one.
Abraham Lincoln

Ara travelled to Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Calcutta, Baroda and did successful unaccompanied exhibitions. Later, in 1963, he did his most awaited project, “Black Nudes Women” serials in Mumbai. As well as, it was also considered opening ceremony of contemporary Gallery of artist Pandole Art.

Painting Of K H Ara

**Water colour and gouache on paper** (Credit: DAG available for purchase/inquiry)

Finally, a golden time came. Furthermore, Ara travelled to Europe, Japan, Germany and Russia for his alone exhibition. But behind all the success, his patron was Walter Langhammer who analysed his skill of representation of unique art. Walter was editor of illustrated Weekly India helped him get him enrolled in JJ School of ART.

K. H. Ara had sold the rights of his work to Kumar Gallery between 1955 and 1966. Throughout his life, he was a bachelor and adopted a daughter. He died in the same city of his dream and the place where his hard-working memories lay still young when we read K. H. Ara. As well as, the inspirational figure to a young artist.

The artist had strongly criticized: His paintings being “poorly executed”, “wrongly depicted female genitalia” and “not referenced from life”. However, those priceless paintings have greater lushness than unclothed forms. The speciality and uniqueness into his paintings seems given a more grandness to compasses of the single colour.

Nudity Possibly was to overcome his loneliness.

Introduction of K H Ara From DAG World

The dedication of his work while canvassing beautiful ideas were like celebrating his body in bachelor ways. Furthermore, such dedication in K. H. Ara came after when life settled alone without woman in his life. It clearly shows in his uneven representation.

Finding truth is difficult, but Ilya Repin uncovered the truth in his life. Sadanand Bakre was one of the Indian artists who had dual skills. One who confessed how beautiful India is, read Raza on his factors of inspiration.

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.

Fearless Self-Taught K H Ara And His Loneliness

Painting Of K H Ara