After Husain Who?

Maqbool Fida Husain, India’s most celebrated artist of recent times passed away recently while in exile in London. Husain’s death has attracted a lot of flak, as he was virtually pushed out of India in 2007 by the combined effort of Hindu extremist organisations. They had alleged that some of Husain’s paintings depicted Hindu goddesses in the nude and thus they hurt the sentiments of the Hindus.

While the Hindu organisations were attacking Husain (some even destroyed some of his paintings worth in crores of Rupees), the Government did almost nothing to stop these activities. These organisations had also foisted a host of unsubstantiated criminal cases against Husain and then too government did almost nothing to withdraw these cases.

Finally Husain had to leave the country where he was born, and settle down in Middle-East. In protest of such a shabby treatment meted out to him, Husain also surrendered his Indian citizenship and took a Qatari one. The international art community criticized India for being so tolerant and docile towards the communal forces.

When Husain finally passed away, the PM and other ministers wasted no time to send their condolences. They also stated that they were willing to send any help to Husain’s family if required. But nonetheless, Husain today remains in records as an Indian born Qatari artist.

How far is this change in Husain’s official status important for the Indian art scene? Well to be precise, only marginally. Most of Husain’s major works are with Indian collectors. His later day works which he had made after leaving India are also not very significant. The only such work that is likely to come up in some future auction is an unfinished one that Husain was supposed to be making for the Qatar’s royal family.

But Husain was important to India for many other reasons. Firstly, he was the most flamboyant artist that India had ever produced. He had succeeded in grabbing media attention even in those days when Indian art market was very nascent. His style statements, his eccentric behaviour and his public declarations of his infatuations towards Indian film actresses had all created an enigma and together they helped not just Husain but also the Indian art market as a whole.

The present generation of artists who are today seeing all the international attention are thus in many way indebted to Husain.

But there was also one another aspect of Husain, which made him different from others of his time. It was his original style. Originality of style had always been the most important factor in any artist’s rise. There were only two other artists before MF Husain, who had acquired international fame within their life time.  They were Raja Ravi Verma and Jamini Roy ( May be Rabindranath Tagore also, to a certain extent). These artists were not as flamboyant as Husain. Their only reason for fame was their original styles.

Husain’s death is a loss to India not because he became a Qatari citizen but because today there is no one else who can match him either in terms of his originality or in terms of his flamboyance. And today when the art market is in recession, the Indian market does need someone who can create a little drama, generate a little interest in his style, and shake the slothness in the market.

So who are the possible market leaders of the future?

One name that comes automatically is that of Subodh Gupta. He has done something few else are doing: creating huge steel sculptures and showing them the world over. He is flamboyant too and known to create a good deal of controversies around himself as well. But the problem with Gupta is that he is not very original. The charm of his works lie mostly in the size. Most of what he makes like skulls, UFOs, etc have all been made if not by steel, then by something else.

Anish Kapoor, London based Indian origin artist is known for his concept and style. Highly original, Kapoor has enchanted the international audience with his conceptual works of art. However much though, some Indian art galleries are trying to project Kapoor as an Indian artist, it will not in the totality help the Indian art market.

Atul Dodiya and Bose Krishnamachari who had been making some ripples a few years back are conceptually strong, but Atul Dodiya’s works have often been criticized for not being very original in rendering. Besides, Dodiya had never been known to create any drama under the arch light. He is a low profile artist, on whom the art market cannot depend for a major overall surge.

Bose had shown great strength not only as an artist but also as an organiser, and these strengths are requisite at a time when the buyers and collectors internationally want articulated ideas about art works that they are investing in. But Bose’s recent ventures have all failed ( particularly the one he had drawn up with industrialist and collector Yash Birla).

Among the younger artists Sandip Pisalkar, Susanta Mandal, Devajyoti Ray and Nancy Adajania are some of the names that are also to be watched in future. Pisalkar and Mandal are both conceptual artists and delve mostly in the field of installationas and assemblages. Both have aquired quite a bit of fame and some of their works have been acquired even by international collectors. Susantha Mandal‘s works have even been collected by the Guggenheim Museum in 2009.

But Mandal or Pisalkar are not very articulate. Their works also do not lend themselves to instant identification with the artists. In this regards Devajyoti Ray is someone to be followed. He is highly original and has popularised his style of Pseudorealism which is not just something unique but also highly recognisable and makes it remember the artist instantly.  But Ray is too young and new and it is too early for one to tell if he can emerge as a leader.

Nancy Adjania is a recent artist and though she has created enough ripples, and this years official entrant to Art Fair in Madrid, it would take time for her to make any real impact in the art world. Similar other names are also emerging. However yet it is too early to guess as who can take up Husain’s place not just as an artist but also as someone who can pull the entire art market, a pull form which everyone else benefits.