Always barefooted and brandishing an extra-long paintbrush as a slim cane, M.F. Husain popularly known as the Picasso of India was one of the most celebrated and internationally recognized Indian artists of the 20th century. He also received recognition as a printmaker, photographer, and filmmaker. Maqbool Fida Husain commonly addressed as M.F., was born on 17th of September 1915 at Pandharpur in Maharashtra, India. Husain who was a self-taught artist initially painted cinema hoardings in Bombay (now Mumbai) for a small amount of money. With his savings M.F. went to Surat, Baroda and Ahmedabad to paint landscapes. M.F. also worked in a toy factory, where he designed and built toys.
His first shot to fame as an artist was in the late 1940s. In 1947, M.F. joined the Progressive Artists' Group, founded by Francis Newton Souza. The first solo exhibition of his work was held in Zürich and slowly his work was widely seen in Europe and the US. He was a special invitee along with Pablo Picasso at the Sao Paulo Biennial in the year 1971.
Husain later became the highest paid painter in India. In the year 1986 Husain was also nominated to the Rajya Sabha.
Awards :
1955 - Padma Shri
1973 - Padma Bhushan
1991 - Padma Vibhushan
2007 - Raja Ravi Varma award by the government of Kerala.
Films:
"Through the Eyes of a Painter", was Husain's first film in the year 1967. This film was shown at the Berlin Film Festival and also won a Golden Bear in the Short Film category.
He was the producer and director of the movie "Gaja Gamini". The protagonist of the movie was Madhuri Dixit, also his muse and was the subject of a series of his paintings which he signed Fida. Later he made "Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities".
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Controversies : Nude painting of Hindu deities: In 1996 a Hindi monthly magazine named "Vichar Mimansa" published Husain's nude paintings of Hindu deities which were created by him in 1970 in an article headlined "M.F. Husain: A Painter or Butcher". Which in turn led to eight criminal cases being filed against him. However, the Delhi High Court in 2004, dismissed these complaints of "promoting enmity between different groups by painting Hindu goddesses – Durga and Saraswati, that was later compromised by Hindus".
In 1998 Husain's house was attacked and his art works
were vandalised by Hindu groups like Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena. Protests against Husain led to the closure of an exhibition of his work in London, England.
Later in February 2006, Husain was charged with "hurting religious sentiments of people" for his nude portraits of Hindu gods and goddesses.
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Meenaxi - A Tale of Three Cities : This film was pulled out of cinema after some Muslim organisations like the Milli Council, All-India Muslim Council, Raza Academy, Jamiat-ul-Ulema-e-Hind and Jamat-e-Islami objected to the Qawwali song "Noor-un-Ala-Noor" in the movie. They claimed that the song was blasphemous and had words taken from the holy book Quran. The film recieved critical accalmation and won many awards.
Qatar nationality :
A series of cases were brought against Husain and a court case related to the alleged obscene depiction of Hindu goddesses in his paintings resulted in issuing a non-bailable warrant against him after he failed to respond to summons.
Husain, who left India stating that "matters are so legally complicated that I have been advised not to return home", and spent rest of his life abroad in self-exile since 2006. Reportedly he also received many death threats.
Husain expressed a strong desire to come back, despite fears that he may be arrested in connection with the cases against him. Later a recent Supreme Court order suspended an arrest warrant for Husain. In absence of dual citizenship, Union Home Secretary, GK Pillai, said that MF Husain was free to come back and would be provided security if he requested it.
Qatari nationality was conferred upon him at the instance of the modernizing Qatar’s ruling family and thereafter he lived in Doha and spent his summers in London. In Qatar he was working on two large projects, the history of Indian civilization and the history of Arab civilization, the latter was commissioned by Qatar’s first lady – Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al Missned, wife of the Qatar’s ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. The works are to be housed in a museum in Doha.
Husain's supporters and critics :
His supporters points out the fact that - one has to know the differene between nudity and nakedness. Nudity is natural while nakedness is obscene. Husain's paintings should not be taken as obscene, as nudity is natural. Husain also justified his nude paintings by stating - 'In India nudity means purity'. Krishan Khanna, one of Husain's contemporaries, stated that "It's not just Husain's but the entire artist community's lives which are at stake. Anybody and everybody can file a case against us now. Anyone can infringe upon our lives".
Salil Tripathi, a writer based in London wrote in the International Herald Tribune that Hindu goddesses have regularly been portrayed in the nude by Hindu artists. Tripathi asserted that, “It is hypocritical to place curbs on Husain's artistic freedom. What's more shameful is that a government that claims to be the secular alternative to Hindu nationalists is threatening to prosecute Husain. This does not do India proud; it adds to India's disgrace."
Satish Gujral, an Indian artist expressed criticism by stating that whether Husain will be bold enough to treat icons of Islam in the same manner. Gopal Adivrekar, a senior Hindu artist and former President, Bombay Art Society, stated - ''Nothing is bad in being creative but the artists should not go for such artwork, which may hurt the sentiments of a segment of the society."
Politician Shashi Tharoor supported the petition of Husain's admirers to the government to grant Husain the Bharat Ratna, India's highest award. He said ''Husain's life and work are beginning to serve as an allegory for the changing modalities of the secular in modern India – and the challenges that the narrative of the nation holds for many of us. This is the opportune and crucial time to honour him for his dedication and courage to the cultural renaissance of his beloved country."
Talking about his self-imposed exile and death outside of India painter Akbar Padamsee said that it was a "pity that a painter as important as Husain had to die outside his own country because of a crowd of miscreants".
Demise :
Maqbool Fida Husain breathed his last on 9 June 2011, at Royal Brompton Hospital in London, following a heart attack. He was 95 years old and was buried at Brookwood Cemetery on 10 June 2011. The Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh said his death was a "national loss", and the President of India Mrs. Pratibha Patil issued a statement that Hussain's death has left a void in the world of art.
To view M.F. Husain's paintings, please visit : http://www.mfhussain.com/
