A Personal Commentary

THOMAS B. KEEHN

M.F. Husain (1956)

M.F. Husain and I were forty years old when we met in India and began a friendship that has endured for fifty-one years—from 1956 to 2007. He was a visible, rising young artist living in Bombay. I was at the beginning of a new phase of life in India, representing a Rockefeller-related non-profit organization. One of our mandates was to discover and assist the modern art movement in newly independent India. I began by traveling around the country, visiting artists in their homes and workshops. It seemed inevitable that these journeys lead to connections with Husain. In early 1956—after consulting with some of the young artists and others in this field—we decided to organize an Eight Painters exhibition in New Delhi. An attractive brochure was produced, including information about the artists and reproductions of some of their works. One feature proposed by the artists was to have them work in teams of two, with each producing a drawing of the other. For example Husain produced a drawing of Ram Kumar and Ram did one of Husain. Here is the 1956 drawing of Husain as it appeared on the Eight Painters exhibition brochure. Two of Husain’s paintings included in the exhibition were Between the Spider and theLamp and Yatra—a Journey. They were recognized as some of Husain’s most important works in this early period. We were fortunate to acquire Yatra for our family collection. We also have a drawing of the figures of a man and a woman which Husain produced in 1956. It is vintage Husain—a kind of prototype for many of the estimated 50,000 paintings he would paint during the next fifty years. Through these years, Husain became a central figure in a group of eight to ten pioneers

in the Indian modern art movement. Two of them died in recent years—Souza and Gaitonde. The others have flourished—Ram Kumar, Tyeb Mehta, Akbar Padamsee, S.H. Raza, Krishen Khanna and Bal Chhabda. At 91, Husain continues to be very involved in individual and group exhibitions and retrospectives. In addition to his skills as an artist, he has produced award-winning films and written poetry. He has been recognized at international biennials and honored by the Government of India —a celebrity figure. In recent years, Husain has been subject to controversy created by social and political tensions between the Muslim minority and the Hindu majority in India. This has resulted in his current exile in Dubai. To which Husain responds, “There is no such thing as exile; I have been wandering the world and painting for fifty years and I am still doing it!” A remarkable development in the last ten to twelve years has been the dramatic increase in the value of modern Indian art. The early pioneer group (mentioned previously) were among those who were beneficiaries of this phenomenon. Husain was one of the leaders in this market value increase but others followed: Tyeb Mehta, Raza, Souza, Gaitonde and Ram Kumar. What factors have contributed to this phenomenon? Auctions at established houses in New York, London, Hong Kong and India began to include modern Indian art in 1995. Art galleries focused on modern Indian art spread rapidly. There are half a dozen in New York, many in London and hundreds in India. Museums are beginning. Husain built four in India and six new ones are in the planning stage, funded by wealthy Indians. Indians living abroad, including the business community, are increasingly supportive of modern Indian art. Examples of this surge in values of modern Indian art abound. Here are two involving Husain. In 2002, a sixty foot, twelve panel mural Lightning was purchased by Kent and Marguerite Charugundla in New York for about $400,000. It will be on display at the exhibition opening at the TamarindArt Gallery on March 21, 2007. And, in Dubai on January 31 and February 1, 2007, Christie’s had a special auction of jewellery and art which included a Husain painting that sold for $442,000. Not bad for an exile who is often called the Picasso of India! Perhaps more important than money is the legacy of family and friends. Here, Husain is richly endowed. His six children and grandchildren spend serious time with him wherever he happens to be. And the Keehn family home in Forest Hills, NY, is fortunate to be included in the travels of these young people. In the spring and summer of 2007, seven Husains will be arriving in waves. My six children and thirteen grandchildren will be on hand to join me in celebrating fifty-one years of connections with the Husains and India. Once again, we will turn the pages of the book INDIA INK—published in India as a memorial to Martha Keehn who died eleven years ago. The book includes the saga of our family collection of modern Indian art and reproductions of more than thirty pieces. It goes well with our memories of India years and our warm connections with the Husain family and other friends.

Note: This article was done in 2007. Except for Padamsee and Khanna, the others have passed away since the writing of this article.

M.F. Husain, Man and Woman, drawing, 1956

The artist portrays himself with his mother. Voyage of Discovery, 2005