ART FACTS: 'The Picasso of India'

An artist who paints with a curiosity is far better than one who paints with an objective in mind. The former doesn't want his journey to end and wants to see continuously beyond the ordinary appearance of things. And Maqbool Fida Hussain (Who was known simply as M F Hussain) does fall in the former category of painters who will continue their journey till the end of their lives.
Being realistic in nature he acquired totally a different meaning and entirely new sensitivity to the painting world. Pleasing in appearance, relating to the philosophical principles of aesthetics the paintings of M F Hussain divulge a person sensitive to art and beauty. He was perhaps India's most famous and at times most controversial artist of modern times. M F Hussain was known for his stunning paintings of Indian women, and his habit of getting into controversies, he was also a multi-faceted person having made movies and served in India's Parliament.
The most controversial painting shows a nude women on her knees, creating the shape of India's geographic borders. His work caused an outcry among hard-line Hindu groups. M F Hussain had lived in Dubai since 2006 after receiving death threats from them.
Born in 1915 in Maharashtra at an early age he learnt the art of calligraphy and practiced the Kufi khat with its geometric forms - an art that has stayed with him through his life. In 1937 he reached Mumbai determined to become an artist, with hardly any money and lived in a cheap room. Initially he apprenticed himself to a painter of cinema hoardings which he would paint with great dexterity perched on scaffolding sometimes in the middle of traffic.
Often described as India's Picasso, M F Husain was grabbed people's attention 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 - part of a group of artists, headed by Francis Newton Souza, who broke with traditional Indian painting styles.
A great deal of experimentation in the early years led him to some remarkable works. His vibrant works, grounded in Indian folk art and incorporating motifs from ancient myths, have drawn comparisons with Picasso. As a painter M F Hussain is less interested in promoting a particular religion than in celebrating the human spirit through his art. Horses and women feature prominently in his works. He became especially well known for paintings of horses earlier in his career.
He was introduced in Pakistan by the late Ali Imam, who arranged his paintings exhibition at Indus Gallery, Karachi. After that he did his second show in Lahore and called Ali Imam to Lahore to help him arrange and promote his exhibition.
By 1955 he had became a leading artist in India and had been awarded the Padma Shri award. He was a special invitee along with Pablo Picasso at the Sao Paulo Biennial in 1971. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan award in 1973, the Padma Vibhushan award in 1989 and was nominated to the Rajya Sabha award in 1986.
Along with several solo exhibitions he had major retrospectives in Mumbai in 1969, in Calcutta in 1973 and in Delhi in 1978. He has participated in many international shows which include Contemporary Indian Art, Royal Academy of Arts, London 1982; Six Indian Painters, Tate Gallery, London 1985; Modem Indian Painting, Hirschhom Museum, Washington 1986 and Contemporary Indian Art, Grey Art Gallery, New York 1986.
Legendary painter MF Husain had his heart in Bollywood too. In 1967 he won the Golden Bear at the International Film Festival at Berlin for his documentary "Through the Eyes of a Painter" and had made several short films since then such as Gaja Gamini with Madhuri Dixit, followed by Meenaxi: A tale of Three Cities starring Tabu.
MF Hussain rose to become India's most sought-after painter before going into self-imposed exile during an uproar over nude images of Hindu deities. Hussain had lived in Dubai since 2006 after receiving death threats from Hindu hard-liners in India. Since then, he has shuttled between London and Dubai, painting in homesickness and old age. The legendary artist M F Hussain met death at the age of 95 on 9th June, 2011 in London. He made valuable contribution in the field of art and earned international stature. The art lovers would long remember his innovative creations both at home and abroad.
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Reactions
Various Pakistani artists have expressed grief over the death of M F Hussain
Jimmy engineer: "He was a great artist. I have met him several times in Dubai, Lahore and Karachi. I last met him in the UAE. During our three to four-hour chatting in Al Mubarak Al Nahayan palace, UAE I felt that he was sad at heart and he had a desire to return home (India). Upon asking he said that there is no art reason behind his exile. The Indian Supreme Court has given orders in his favour. Indian government wants him to come back but it is not willing to provide him security. Therefore, he became Qatari national".
"M F Hussian was an iconic painter, a wonderful human being and a very good friend. He had certain affection for me. Whenever I went to Dubai he always met me. And we talked a lot about art and its effects on our world around".
Mashkoor Raza: "Few people had that zest for living as M F Husain. I met him twice. He gave me a note with his signature in three languages. It is sad that an artist of such a stature is no longer among us. He was peaceful by nature and an open-minded person. There is no match for his bold colours and subjective work. He was committed to art and seemed ageless, painting till his last days. He painted horses and therefore I had a link to him through art."
Naheed Raza: "I invited him in the 1980s at a dinner, which was attended by many artists who met him at that occasion first time and he exchanged views about his work and art with other artists. He was a brilliant painter and a wonderful person. He was not only a great artist but an incredible human being. There is no match to his passion and love for life."