M.F. Husain 'Through The Eyes Of A Painter'

Jun 09, 2011 |

IANS

New Delhi

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M F Husain

There were milestones aplenty during the life of M.F. Husain, who died on Thursday at London's Royal Brompton Hospital at the age of 95. Here's a chronology:

* Sep 17, 1915: Born in Pandharpur in Maharashtra to Zunaib and Fida. His mother died when he was three years old. He learnt the art of calligraphy and practiced the Kulfic Khat style of geometric forms. He also learnt to write poetry.

* 1935: Moves to Mumbai and joins Sir J.J. School of Arts for a year.

* 1937: Begins his career painting cinema hoardings for a livelihood.

* 1941: Gets married to Fazila.

* 1946: Francis Newton Souza invites him to join the Bombay Progressive Artists Group, formed to explore a new idiom for Indian art.

* 1947: His painting "Sunhera Sansaar" wins an award at the annual exhibition of the Bombay Art Society and markes his debut in the art world.

* 1952: Conducts first solo exhibition in Mumbai and first international solo exhibition at Zurich.

* 1954: Nominated as an eminent artist by the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi.

* 1967: Makes his first film, "Through the Eyes of a Painter", which was screened at the Berlin Film Festival and won a Golden Bear.

* 1971: Special invitee, along with Pablo Picasso, at the Sao Paulo Biennial.

* 1973: Awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian honour.

* 1986: Nominated to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian parliament.

* 1991: Awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian honour.

* 1995: Wins the national award at the Lalit Kala Akademi's first national exhibition.

* 1996: His painting of Hindu deities in the nude are published in Vichar Mimansa Hindi journal and kick-off a never-ending controversy. Eight criminal complaints are filed against Husain.

* 1998: Home in Mumbai is attacked by Hindu groups and his art works are vandalised.

* 2004: Delhi High Court dismisses complaints of "promoting enmity between different groups ... by painting Hindu goddesses - Durga and Sarswati - in the nude".

* 2006: India Today news magazine publishes an advertisement titled "Art For Mission Kashmir", carrying a painting of "Bharatmata" (Mother India) as a nude woman with the names of the Indian states on various parts of her body.

* 2006: Charged with hurting the sentiments of people because of his nude portraits of Hindu gods and goddesses; leaves India to never come back.

* 2010: Is offered and accepts Qatari citizenship.

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