In Memoriam

He had as many weaknesses as strengths,but the world ignored the weaknesses because of weight of his strength. The demise of men like MF Husain does not create a vacuum,as they leave an attitude not a style. Husain infused new blood into old veins. The way he dressed in early years was so outlandish,that it was difficult to walk with him in public. He of course enjoyed it,as it drew enormous attention. As to his work,he did his best till the 1970s. What followed was repetition.

Satish Gujral,artist

Husain’s seven decades of creativity is in many ways a story of how Indian art got uploaded onto the public consciousness in India,especially the first two decades after independence. It is through his practice that the public began to recognise the figure of the modern artist. My last meeting with Husain was in a hotel in London. He said that he had turned one of the rooms in the hotel into a studio. He embraced us,there was no sense of exile and there was pure energy,” Jitish Kallat,artist

MF Husain was a restless experimentalist. He also reacted sensitively to political turmoils and introduced symbols of love and peace — the works on Mother Teresa falls into this genre. Husain loved to work on an epic scale with strong lines and vigorous brushwork using bright colours. He was a prolific artist who strove hard to evolve a personal language through any medium that he experimented with — painting,film,new media and poetry. Rajeev Lochan,director of NGMA

On both fronts — professional and personal— it’s a big loss. He was a friend and a mentor. It’s tragic that the country did not accept him. What a legacy he has left behind. He inspired me to build my own gallery — designed the logo and the gallery too. I spoke to him in April and he wanted me to spend a day with him in Dubai and I told him I would visit him. Who knew this would happen?”Renu Modi,gallerist

Gallery of Fame

* Last year,MF Husain had gifted himself the most expensive production car in the world,the super-fast Bugatti Veyron,which cost Rs 17 crore. His garage also boasts a Bentley,two Jaguars,a Mercedes,a Ferrari and a Rolls Royce.

* His name was included in the list of the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World,issued by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center in Amman,Jordan.

*In 1967,he made his first film,Through the Eyes of a Painter. It was shown at the Berlin Film Festival and won a Golden Bear.

* His most expensive painting was Battle of Ganga and Jamuna: Mahabharata,which sold for $1.6 million at Christie’s auction on March 20,2008.

* In April 2004,Kolkata-based poet,Sharmila Ray’s book,Living Other Lives,got a value addition after her book jacket was designed by Husain. This is the only known book cover designed by the painter.

* In 1956,filmmaker Chetan Anand was conceiving a film about Dutch-impressionist painter Vincent Willem Van Gogh and he sought the help of MF Husain. In order to develop the story,Husain sketched a series of 10 interpretations for Anand which were handed to the filmmaker. Unfortunately,the project was shelved due to financial constraints.

A Paan Lover

Step into SN Pande’s paan shop in Connaught Place and you can view paintings by the artist. “My father said that Hussein sahab tried our saada paan laced with a saffron-based khushboo chutney and fell in love with it,” says Om Pande,SN Pande’s son.

The shop moved to New MP’s market in North Avenue in early 1970s but Husain came back,year after year,to savour his favourite saada paan,and his friendship with SN Pande developed.

A few years back,he gifted his famous painting,Sanjeevani Booti — to SN Pande,but with a difference. In the painting,instead of carrying the Sanjeevani Booti,Hanuman is carrying paan leaves with him.