The eternal dissent of the artist

IN Media Practice | 09/06/2011

The death of M F Husain, away from the country of his birth, underscores his painful decision to stay away from India after facing increasing attacks from rightwing forces, but artists in India continue to register their dissent.

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M F Husain, who passed away at the age of 95 in a hospital in London, left behind a legacy of art that constantly challenged and provoked different ways of seeing. But the iconic painter also left the reputation of the Indian government in tatters as he steadfastly refused to return to the country of his birth, after being hounded by Hindu fundamentalists for more than a decade.

When Husain decided to take up the citizenship of Qatar last March, the silence that had enveloped his period of exile was broken. Husain’s paintings were vandalised by mobs owing allegiance to groups like the Bajrang Dal, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Hindu Jagruti Samiti and his house was attacked and finally, he went into a self-imposed exile in 2006.

That Husain continually reinvented himself and pushed the envelope was a given. In a statement issued on his death, the Safdar Hasmi Memorial Trust (SAHMAT) said: More than any other modern artist in India, he has understood how a syncretic civilization and the dynamics of a multi-ethnic, multi-religious nation have together prompted these interpretations and empowered the community of artists to evolve a uniquely modern language consistent with the complexity of these civilizational narratives.

Yet, for five years, while he remained away from the incredible number of cases that were filed against him in various courts of the land, there was regrettably very little or no discussion, debate or even protest about his plight, save from a few members of the artists’ community.

However, no sooner did the news of his nationality break, than various government spokespersons gave statements of their reassurances and of the status of the court cases that he was dogged by. Several cases were disposed off while only three cases were pending against the artist in lower courts in Delhi when he took the decision to give up his Indian nationality.

Even then, organisations like the Shiv Sena didn’t let up. An editorial in the party’s mouthpiece, Saamna, patronisingly said Husain could return if he apologised! Other right-wing writers and columnists derided his decision to go to Qatar which they said was hardly a model of free expression. Clearly, with no assurance of safety or respect for his art, Husain was not going to change his mind.

Now, it is too late.

Husain’s death, once again, brings the issue of freedom of expression into focus and television debates throughout the day have thrown up the role and responsibility of the state in ensuring the safety of Indian’s most famous artist. ‘Did the state do enough?’ is a question that dogged the debates. While it is a question that will not go away easily, it is also important to remember that several artists, film-makers, writers and cultural activists are still grappling with the censorship of their work and the ever-present threat of violent reprisal for their expression.

Here’s a list of a few instances of censorship in art:

· In 2006, artists Sanjeev Khandekar and Vaishali Narkar were charged with obscenity by Mumbai police.

· In 2007, art student Chandra Mohan was attacked for his art work submitted for evaluation at M S University’s Fine Arts Faculty. The dean of faculty, Shivajirao Pannikkar was suspended for standing up for his student.

· In 2008, artist Jehangir Jani had to remove two exhibits from his show in Mumbai as they were attacked for being explicit!

In July 2010, the Goa-based Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) and its affiliate, the Sanatan Sanstha (SS), took umbrage at a painting exhibition by Dr José Pereira, a 79-year-old US-based Goan Sanskrit scholar and artist which it said, "hurt its sentiments".

Artists like Nalini Malani have resorted to self-censorship and don’t exhibit their works in India

· Art galleries shy away from exhibiting works that may attract controversy or result in a ‘law and order’ problem.

But there is a silver lining. Even as artists grapple with censorship and threats, they are also speaking out against repression in society and taking a stance against attacks on free speech. In April this year, 15 artists held a three-day gathering called ‘Justice on trial’ in Delhi, in support of Dr Binayak Sen, charged with sedition.

In Mumbai, barely two weeks ago, ten prominent artists came together for ‘Right to dissent’, with installations and paintings on the theme of freedom of expression and dissent. Artist Tushar Joag, in a ‘live’ installation, locked himself up in a small cubicle simulating a prison cell for five days during which he filled school exercise notebooks with the line, ‘I will not lose faith in the Indian judiciary and democracy’.

Now, if only our elected representatives remained faithful to these democratic principles, Husain's last brushstrokes for the land of his birth will not have been in vain.