Indian Art Scene

M. F. Hussain is no more

2011-06-12T09:08:00.000-07:00

Famous painter M. F. Hussain, also known as 'India's Picasso' is no more. According to news reports, he passed away at London's Royal Brompton hospital. He was 95 and died from a heart attack.

Hussain was living in a self-imposed exile since 2005 in Dubai after many cases were registered against him in India. His nude paintings had created a huge furore in India.

Apart from being a painter, he was also a filmmaker who had made films like GAJA GAMINI and MEENAXI. His muse Madhuri Dixit was the subject of a series of his paintings.

He had been awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1973 and was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 1986. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushanin 1991.

Part of the Dream Weave Walk Network 1998-2012

Indian Art at Sotheby's

2008-09-25T21:43:00.000-07:00

Famed auctioneer Sotheby’s has swung total sales of $7.845 million at its auction of South Asian Modern & Contemporary Art in New York. The sale has achieved 65.1% in terms of lots and 79.7% in value terms. Eighty-two of the 126 lots offered have been sold out. Tyeb Mehta’s Falling Figure with Bird has scaled the highest price of $1,538,500.

At the same time, Subodh Gupta’s One Cow has fetched a price of $866,500. The Tyeb Mehta piece, which was bought for $1,538,500 had seen a presale estimate of $1,000,000-1,500,000. It was acquired by an American private buyer. In the same breath, Subodh Gupta’s $866,500 tag is against a presale value of $600,000-800,000. In third place is FN Souza’s Orange Head with a price of $482,500. The work was valued at $400,000-600,000. An untitled MF Husain sold for $338,500, whereas it was expected to sell in the range of $250,000-350,000.

Hovering in fifth spot, FN Souza’s Christ on Palm Sunday has been picked up for $266,500 compared to an estimate of $220,000-320,000. Figuring in the top ten lots is also an untitled G Ravinder Reddy’s which went for $242,500 crossing the estimate of $$160,000-220,000. In step, SH Raza’s Prakriti found buyers at $242,500 when the estimate was pegged at $200,000-300,000.

Keeping these names company in the next few slots are Krishen Khanna, Ram Kumar, F N Souza and Bikash Bhattacharjee. While an untitled work by Krishen Khanna has sold for $206,500, well beyond its estimate of $100,000-150,000, an unnamed piece by Ram Kumar has been picked up for $194,500 compared to an estimate of $150,000-200,000. Souza’s Death and the Maiden has outstripped its estimate of $100,000-150,000 swinging a price of $182,500.

Bikash Bhattacharjee’s Portuguese School, in tandem, has been purchased by an anonymous buyer for $182,500 against an estimate of $160,000-220,000. In the final spot is Thukral & Tagra’s Metropolis I at a price level of $182,500 just a few notches above the high estimate of $180,000.

Part of the Dream Weave Walk Network 1998-2010

M.F. Hussain gets relief in Supreme Court

2008-09-08T21:17:00.000-07:00

Noted painter M F Husain on Monday got a major relief from the Supreme Court which refused to initiate of criminal proceedings against him for allegedly hurting public sentiments through some of his paintings that were dubbed as obscene.

"There are many such pictures, paintings and sculptures and some of them are in temples also," a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan said, dismissing one such petition.The Bench, also comprising Justices P Sathasivam and J M Panchal, was not impressed with the argument that Hussain was taking advantage of his age and reputation to get away with the law by painting obscene pictures.

One such creation of the painter, titled Bharat Mata, was brought before the apex court for its scrutiny.

Part of the Dream Weave Walk Network 1998-2010

Indian Art Scene

2008-08-24T20:01:00.000-07:00

Indian Art Scene

Part of the Dream Weave Walk Network 1997-2010