Why did MF Husain Include a Curse in His Painting?

At that time, if Husain was anything, we felt he would be a more formidable presence than his creative presence. At the College of Arts, Indore, where FNP was then a student, attention first turned to his creative presence when a book published by the Tata Institute landed at their table. This book likely came courtesy of Husain himself to his college. One day, a few of us students of our college principal Chandraesh Saxena were called to his office and there he showed this book. It was quite a thick book. But we were captivated by the summons of another kind onto its pages. In one of the pages we turned, there it was: a painting called Between Spider and Lamp. Saxena Sir introduced us to it and mentioned that it was Husain’s one of the most critical painting, we need to have a closer look. We observed it closely for a few hours but our prudently exams were of no account. And we had no ideas what we were seeing. Nor did we recognize this as the painting that would set the course of contemporary art in India. We were hoping to move on, but the Saxena Sir pointed out, “Pay attention; this painting has a hidden curse”. Above the painting, there were a couple of letters and symbols painted. Why curse in the first place, we thought, for someone as visible as Banksy? So, we motivated to find this curse and started looking at the painting properly every morning when we reached college. The search for the curse began to forge a relation with here traced image. It is when the symbols in the painting started telling what made Husain, a Iconic figure as he was. The art language of Husain was now understood. I never encountered the curse in that painting, but it lingered with me. A Few Years Later, and as the Faculty was discussed with Husain. I said, “you wrote some letters atop that painting and… Saxena Sir told you wrote a curse. What did you actually write?” He said, “Oh I was seeing three people then; the letters are their initials.” The letters scrawled into the painting were not a nothing but a few initials of his lovers. The master would say that no symbol in a painting is ever just a symbol; it becomes a metaphor. The letters were now metaphorical. Four or five of these had become metaphors in the painting. Thus, there this link with Husain’s paintings began, and that it deepened with his frequent mention in the family and what my father told me. It then became apparent that Husain’s forms corresponded with Indian sculpture, particularly the Gupta period statues and Chola metal sculptures. It was related to the authentic roots of art and echoed with contemporary Indian folk culture. A sort of juxtaposition between modernity and Indian tradition.

Here is why my relationship with him deepened twice. First, he was one of my father’s closest friends. Second, every time we got together the conversation centered on fellow artists. For I had no interest in anything else, so with him I kept talking about what I thought mattered most in art. There were lots of stuff we never talked about, no dramas or issues that would only last for awhile. We spent time together in creative conversations. And it was always more than just killing time.

A painter is surrounded by forms (both natural and mechanical), but this memory, upon which it depends, contains the essence of experience — the distillation of forms simpliciter and form-relationships extramundane.

Every time we talked, he would always make it a point to inquire about how my work was progressing, about where I currently had pieces on exhibit. The only thing he ever worried about was what was happening in my world. The other worry an my job at Bharat Bhavan! Early on he would say: “This isn’t your work; leave it alone.” Every time we met, the first question that emerged was when the hell are you quitting your job. Once, he arrived home and sketched a falcon with a line of poetry from Iqbal that went “Tú shāhīn hai, parwāz hai kām terā” (You are an eagle; it is your job to soar). He said, “Just fly.” His interest in my art world is an important thing for me. He was thrilled the day I quit my job. It also helped deepen our relationship. The fact that he stays concerned about an unknown artist like me and gives time for all this is his greatness. His relationship with no one else is like this, other artists are also there. He makes a couple of artist acquaintances, but nothing more. He provides a moral support. He has always abided by my wishes. One instance of this is the ‘Anadi’ art exhibition. These are few of the glimpses revealed in the display I set with Ratnottama Sengupta at Delhi. At least forty-five artists from Madhya Pradesh participated in the exhibition. When I thought about this, why not Husain Sir inaugurate that exhibition. I approached him are like, “We’re having an art exhibition. Could you inaugurate it?” He replied, “Yes, why not? I will do it.” I requested him to pen down the invitation letter as well. He agreed. The invitation letter was something like, “Exhibition Inagurated by The Great Artist M.F.Husain. As he started to write the text, he arrived at the line “eminent artist,” and said “I am not eminent and I am not an artist — how can I write this?” You are coming from the wrong side I replied back, you should be writing this instead as an acclaimed artist and your invitation is on out behalf not yours. He said, “No way… this is my handwriting so it would be wrong” That held him up for ten to fifteen minutes. For some crazy reason, I managed to convince him that writing is writing and not an invitation. After much persuasion, he wrote “eminient artist,” but didn’t even truly buy that until the very end. So I called him the morning of there show for an update and realized he was in Mumbai!!! I said but you had to open the exhibition that evening! He replied- I forgot I was in Mumbai At two o’clock, he appeared out of nowhere. He stayed until five, talked to some of the artists, hung the paintings with very specific instructions as how they should be hung and viewed. All were happy that Husain Sir was there to drink tea and talk about everybody’s work. The night of the informal soft-opening had gone. He left for Mumbai at five. It was the formal inauguration by guests who arrived in evening for their personal moments captured though camera. He kept his promise. Husain is different from other artists, he has many unique qualities. No… his extreme affection and quick detachment is inbuilt. His qualities are his total attachment, and total non-attachment. He is special for these traits, as compared to all other artists. And maybe that’s why he is Husain. I add perhaps, because there might still be alot more to know about him.

As a child, one morning we spotted a man coming to our home with basket full of jalebis at six o’clock in the morning. He was too charismatic a figure, a brilliant personality with a charming aura. We all enjoyed the jalebis. Years later, as we got to know him as Husain, he turned up early one morning with jalebis at six or seven. This instantly connected with that memory of childhood and it occurred to me, who this was. He came by our house only in the morning never any other time, always between six to seven. I dont remember Him ever coming without the warm jalebis.

He opened a group art show in the late 1970s, one my friends had got together. Meanwhile, my friend’s sweet shop was getting interior work done. So we drove into town and discovered that one of the art galleries was closed, while another had exhibitions by other artists. It was forlorn just sitting in the shop where the interior work was being done — what he hell do we do now?! When we said that we were looking for a site to do the exhibition, then the person who was doing up their house suggested that we exhibit in there. He told us he was going to convert the store into a gallery. He turned the coffee shop into a nice gallery over one night. And by the next day we could hardly tell where we were. So we took the exhibition there and it was inaugurated by husain. He appreciated the room and was happy.

We Tierd 2 city Indore, where: had a small group of friends. So if any artist landed to Indore we use to have art exhibitions and called upon them. In this way we have been lucky to share a few private hours with these artists. Of all, it was N. S. «Whoever» Bendre relinquished our pleas. He did not come. We told him to come over any day of the artsong exhibition, but he didn’t. Husain was inspired by Bendre which in itself is quite interesting. However, Husain is not ungrateful: “Bendre first gave me an identity as an artist; he even came and met my father to ask him to send me here,” says Husain. Husain never forgot this debt of gratitude.

Bcoz I dont Know that my vains strech to ur hands, So now will start painting the sky into your hands…

Husain visited all my art shows barring one group show. A show that we had organized in Mumbai in the 1990s with works of Harsh Swaminathan, Bhagwan Chauhan, Sudhakar Yadav and myself. So, as usual I called him to invite (saying baba hum exhibition kar rahe hai,aao na mere ghar) He asked, “Where is it?” So, i informed him that one could see it at the Jahangir Art Gallery. To that he answered where is this Jahangir Art Gallery(IServiceCollection) I knew something was fishy about Jahangir and Husain. I learned later that Artists and connoisseurs who were the so called committee instead of confirming from Husain had listed him black among JAHANGIR ART GALLERY SPONSOR MANAGEMENT. The cause was an installation that Mr. Kumar presented in a show titled “Shvetambari,” which consisted of white cloth stretched across the entire gallery and thousands of torn newspapers strewn on the floor. This may have been his premier installation. While the controversy ensuing from this arrangement raged, the committee was upset Husain chose to exhibit non-paintings at the Jahangir Art Gallery. They banned him, and only lifted it after a long time— three years. Husain bought these trucks and brought in to display when the ban was lifted. I think he never showed at Jahangir again. Even after calling him to come for at least three or four times he didnt. He called only on the last day to say that he was coming tomorrow. We told him that the exhibition is over as today is final day. He said, alright la (okay), all you gather at my house. Tomorrow morning we will go have one for breakfast.” At his house, we arrived and talked until one o’clock and the breakfast was long over. We then left and Harsh announced, “I’m so hungry.”The original chapter in Hindi was

Translated into English from the book Unke Baare Mein authored by Akhilesh.

Feature Image Courtesy: DAG

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