I seriously wasn’t surprised when I heard the news. I mean comeon, the man was 95, what’s to get surprised there. But the next day paper reviews definitely surprised me. Most of the creative people, socialites shared their word or two of what they felt about the demise of the celebrated painter. & Most of the people were feeling bad that he died in exile.
That was the part I didn’t understand. He didn’t go into exile yesterday! He’s fled the country a good 5 years & more.. so why are these people suddenly awakening to the fact that he died a sad death & much more blah?
5 years back he WAS indeed 90! Did these people think he was going to live forever?? Hypocrisy at its top performance comes from these socialites & public figures!!
If I am sounding like I have disrespect for the late painter; I admit I was not too fond of him.
I was very respectful towards him once upon a time. Being a creative person myself, as any other normal person I used to like such a huge artist. But the day I read & saw his nude paintings on Goddesses.. be it Bharat Mata or any other Goddesses, I lost all respect for him.
Now please don’t start off mentally chiding me if you think I'm thinking petty [??] .. nor please start off a lecture how creative people should be allowed to express! I can hear it till here.. so stop!Just becoz a person is creative, THAT DOES NOT GIVE HIM LEEWAY TO GET DISRESPECTFUL! In any culture, by any medium!!
& its not becoz I belong to the religion whose goddesses he portrayed nude that I am provoked. [ That is there too.. but it is another topic altogether! ] India is a country where there is reverence given to the homeland.. hence the 'Mother' tag in Mother India. People will rarely have pictures of Bharat Ma, at home or on their mantles at home... nor do I personally too practice some over patriotic stuff in regards to idolizing that; but if she is a embodiment of the land called Bharat, then that is enough reason for me to respect it. & I am not going to appreciate anyone insulting it.
In the name of creative freedom if anybody is allowed anything, then I don' t even want to think of what all kind of scenarios that can crop up. then there's no telling where these 'artists' will stop! [If they do!] Coz there'll always be one there to up the creative freedom quotient!]Every established individual becomes liable for some responsible social behaviour. When the society give you that established status, the individual too by default becomes accountable for his/her actions, whether s/he accepts them or not.
Artists are considered slightly huffy people... & 'artists' [esp with such standing in the world] like M.F Hussain just put a stamp on those ridiculous beliefs! [Remember I mentioned, I am an artist too.. Hence the clarification! ]
Every person, every action, every profession, every relation, just about everything in life is defined by some boundaries. In the name of freedom, creative or otherwise, one cannot belittle another's sentiments & try to jump the boundaries & worse, later feign ignorance about it!
When one attempts that, then all roads lead to one destination -
- Fleeing!
© Except for image, all rights reserved with Biraj 3Vedi. To re-print, prior permission required from the author.
Maybe I don't have enough sensibilities to understand a painting. But I must confess, My 5 year old nephew comes up with really good drawings, scratching the crayons in every possible way. I also find the spit of 'Paan' on the walls of Sarkaari office more creative.
ReplyDeleteNow, I don't know what is special in MF Hussein's paintings. A lot of people think that Hindu fundamentalists are the only ones who hate Hussein for his stupid paintings about Hindu Gods, well I hate him as an Indian and not because I come from a Hindu family. His painting Rape of India is what pisses me off the most
The truth is, when MF was alive, he never had the balls to paint a similar stuff had there been an attack on UK, Qatar or US.
And all those who are barking sympathy after his soul departed, never had the balls to say something when he was alive.
I am barking too because I know it hardly makes any difference.
@Biraj: I love your article as much as I hate it for posting those paintings again. You might want to consider a tweak!
@ Abhishek: I empathize on the vent & also agree that people 'barking sympathy' [:P] never voiced out anything when he was alive; coz they too musn't have agreed with his 'creativeness'! But they cannot do away with their hypocritical side too na...
ReplyDeleteI added the MOST unappalling pics of his paintings..just so the post relates to what I'm talking about. You should look at the whole lot oh his paintings. You'd feel like kicking him!! Anyways, have tweaked those pics now... Annoying still.. but guess better now.