HJS' protest against Christie's auction of Husain's paintings

Falgun Paurnima

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HJS’ protest against Christie’s auction of Husain’s paintings in US

By Staff Reporter

Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) in association with Indian-American Intellectuals Forum (IAIF) Forum held a protest demonstration outside Christie’s art gallery in New York on Phalgun Shuddha Chaturdashi (March 20, 2008) from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. during the auction of M.F. Hussain’s paintings in Christie’s art gallery. Around 35 alert Hindus joined the protest, despite it being on a workday and in the high traffic Manhattan area and cold weather (40 degrees Fahrenheit). Most of the protestors came from different states near and far from New York.

HJS’ members protesting outside Christie’s auction in US

The protest began with recitation of ‘Vakratunda Mahakaaya’ shlok and prayers for removal of obstacles from the protest. It included the ‘Krushnaaya Vasudevaaya’ shlok towards the middle, and concluded with the ‘Sarvetra sukhinah santu’ shlok. Protestors were wearing placards explaining the denigration of Hindu deities in M.F. Hussain’s paintings and Christie’s promoting M.F. Hussain.

The silent protest was soon filled with vigorous shouting of slogans such as, ‘M.F. Hussain – shame shame!’, ‘Down with Christie’s’, ‘Boycott – Christie’s’, ‘Fugitive – M.F. Hussain’, ‘Stop discrimination against Hinduism’, ‘Christie’s – shame shame!’ that continued till the conclusion of the protest. Within a few minutes of the protest commencement, press reporters from India Abroad, Rediff, BBC, NDTV, TV Asia, etc., came on the scene to cover the event. They interviewed IAIF President Shri. Narain Kataria, HJS member and the alert Hindus, participating in the protest.

Click here to see more protest photos

Some of the questions asked by the press reporters were, "What about freedom of expression for the artist?", "Isn’t nudity a part of Hindu culture/sculptures?", "Isn’t vulgarity in the eye of the beholder?", etc. The protestors clarified misconceptions by explaining that we are all for freedom of expression, but denigration through art, such as M.F. Hussain’s paintings is an abuse of that freedom, that there is a difference between nudity and vulgarity, and that nudity in Hindu sculptures is not related to Hindu Deities. The protestors asked in response, "If Husain is so sure of his innocence, then why does he not face court proceedings in India – a democratic country – to clear his name? The fact that Husain is fugitive from Indian Law itself proves his guilt!"

Hussain’s denigrating paintings being auctioned at Christie’s were listed, namely, Sree Durgadevi’s, Sree Ganga Jamuna’s, Sree Ganesha’s, Sree Krishna’s and Sree Maya’s denigrating paintings. Flyers clarifying misconceptions related to nudity in sculptures in India and related to so called parallels between Khajuraho temple art and Husain’s paintings were clarified. Around 180 people took the flyers to know about denigration committed by M.F. Hussain.

One of the protestors, Mrs. Gandhi made it a point to tell to every person approaching the art gallery about M. F. Hussain’s denigrating paintings, urging them to boycott Christie’s for aiding and abetting this denigration. She also approached the police officers and Christie’s security guard posted there for the occasion of the protest. The police officers, who had earlier barricaded the protestors at the behest of Christie’s security guard, paid careful attention to what Mrs. Gandhi was saying. They also read the flyers and said to Mrs. Gandhi that we encourage this protest and support it.

Highlights

Three people came and took the flyer and asked Mrs. Ranade what are you trying to achieve through this. Mrs. Ranade replied that we are trying to stop Christie’s from auctioning M. F. Husain’s paintings and stop M. F. Husain from committing this denigration again. Hearing this they said to Mrs. Ranade that we are from Russia and we support you in this protest.
A New Yorker approached one seeker from Sanatan, when explained the reason for the protest said that he said that he supports the protest.
An Asian gentleman, who was just coming out of Christie’s, approached the protestors and asked to know about Husain’s paintings and this protest in detail. When he was explained about the reasons for the protest he said that had he known about this a day earlier, he would not have bought M. F. Husain’s paintings that he spent close to $120,000 on.
One of the police officers posted at the protest showed interest in understanding the protest, by asking questions regarding the artist, the Hindu religion and why these paintings are given so much importance, etc. On hearing Mrs. Gandhi’s explanation, he asked Why M. F. Husain is doing this to Hindus, and was willing to let us put a flyer right at the entrance of the gallery, but the Christie’s security guard would not allow it.
There were quite a few other people in the cars and on the streets, who also showed interest by stopping by and made it a point to read all that was written on the flyers.
The collective prayers performed by HJS / Sanatan’s seekers aroused the curiosity of several of the alert Hindu protestors.

Letter sent to Christie’s gallery by HJS

March 19, 2008

Falgun Shuddha Trayodashi

By Staff Reporter

CHRISTIE ART GALLERY, New York,
Kind Attn. Ms Sara Fox, Spokesperson,

This refers to news regarding your decision regarding withdrawing of Hussain’s paintings from auction on 20th March 2008. We once again request you not to auction M.F. Hussain paintings due to following reasons.

The whole world is aware that M.F. Hussain has drawn nude and obscene paintings of Indian Deities and Bharatmata. Thus he has hurt religious and National sentiments of crores of all Indians. More than 1,250 police complaints have been lodged against him and lot of court cases are going on against him throughout India. He is absconding from India and not facing Court Trials. He has been accused of outraging religious sentiments, promoting enemity between different religious groups, selling obscene material and disturbing National integrity, thereby committing offences under several sections of the Indian Penal Code. He has also been accused of committing offenses under section 2 of the prevention of Insults to National Honour Act on account of certain paintings of Hindu Deities and naked Bharatmata. Nowhere in India we allow Hussains paintings exhibitions/auction.
At this stage you are glorifying an accused person by auctioning his painting and hurting national and religious sentiments. No proud Indian throughout world will tolerate your support to Anti-Hindu and Anti-National painter M.F. Hussain. By doing this you are starting enemity and hatred amongst various religious groups and may lead to Law and order situation for which you will be responsible.

We are taking up this issue with American Embassy in India and Indian Government.

We have full faith in American Democracy but at the same time your democratic system will not glorify such a accused person who has no courage and respect to comeback to his motherland and justify his act of creating indecent Art, which can be equated only with that of infamous Denmark cartoonist who is also hiding himself.

There has been news that infamous Denmark cartoonist is looking for someone to arrange auction of infamous cartoons. Your expression and love for artistic freedom can only be justified if you arrange this auction too.

Please acknowledge and inform action taken.

For Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, Mumbai
S.G. Vatkar

Christie’s to proceed with Hussain painting auction

March 18, 2008

Falgun Shuddha Dvadashi

New York: Christie’s has decided not to withdraw the works by M F Hussain from the sale of South Asian Modern Contemporary Art here on March 20 despite demands from Hindu groups to bar the celebrated Indian painter because he has allegedly hurt Hindu sentiments by portraying their gods in forms that are seen as disrespectful. ( Hindus must strongly protest against Christie Trust & force them to withdraw M.F.Hussain’s paintings from sale! – Editor)

Stating that Christie’s is respectful of all religions and ethnicities, its spokesperson told IANS on Monday, "We also respect artistic freedom. Art and culture embraces multiple interpretations and re-interpretations of religious and ethnic symbols that are often highly individual expressions." ( Will Christie dare to sale the picture of Prophet Muhammad drawn by Danish Cartoonist? Will Christie sale denigrating picture of Jesus Christ or Mother Teresa? – Editor )

Earlier, in a letter to Christie’s, the Indian American Intellectual Forum, which has joined hands with Hindu Janjagruti Samiti on the campaign against Husain, said Husain has gained notoriety in India by painting several Hindu gods and goddesses in derogatory forms.

As part of Christie’s spring auction, Hussain’s paintings are expected to fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars. One of them, "The Battle of Ganga and Yamuna" is estimated to rake in $600,000-$800,000.

The forum president, Narain Kataria, has also sent a power point presentation to Christie’s, highlighting "Hussain’s deliberate distortion and degradation of Hindu culture".

"Seven cases have been registered against him and six courts have issued arrest warrants against him. More than 28,000 people have signed a petition condemning Husain for his malicious attempts to vilify Hindus," Kataria claimed.

He added that Hussain stood "condemned by the Indian parliament for painting Mother India in the nude". It was thus unbecoming, Kataria said, on the part of Christie’s to associate with Hussain.

The nonagenarian Hussain currently lives in Dubai and London, choosing to stay away from India to evade arrests in connection with the cases filed against him.

Source: www.rediff.com

Hindu Groups threaten demonstration if Hussain’s painting action

March 16, 2008

Falgun Shuddha Dashami

New York: A group working to advance the cultural heritage of Indians in the US along with a Hindu organisation has threatened to hold a demonstration unless the Christie’s Art Gallery here stops the scheduled auction of several paintings of noted artiste M F Hussain on March 20.

In a letter to Christie’s, the Indian American Intellectual Forum which has joined hands with Hindu Janjagruti Samiti against Hussain said the painter has gained "ignominy and notoriety" in India by painting several Hindu gods and goddesses in "derogatory" forms.

Therefore, it is a matter of "great regret and shame" that auction by Christie’s Art Gallery, as part of the Indian and South Asian sale on March 20, is featuring several of his paintings. The letter by Forum President Narain Kataria was released by the organisation yesterday.

Christie’s expects some of Hussain’s paintings to fetch between $ 120,000 and $ 180,000 and several between $ 20,000 and $40,000

Kataria also sent a power point presentation to Christie’s which, he says, "lists Hussain’s deliberate distortion and degradation of Hindu culture."

"Seven cases have been registered against him. 6 courts have issued arrest warrants against him. More than 28,000 people have signed a petition condemning Mr Husain for his malicious attempts to vilify Hindu people. 1250 police complaints have been filed against him," Kataria claimed.

In this background, he said it is "unbecoming on the part of Christie’s, a reputable Art Gallery, "to associate with a person of criminal background and promote his paintings."

Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com

M.F. Husain is a star of Christie’s March sale

February 15, 2008

Magh Shudda Navami

New York: Christie’s South Asian modern and contemporary art sale here on March 20 will feature works of leading 20th and 21st century artists from various countries in the region, including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The sale will focus on prime examples of many different movements, styles and highlights and will include works from modern masters M.F. Husain, Francis Newton Souza, Tyeb Mehta, Vasudeo S. Gaitonde, Syed Haider Raza and Ram Kumar as well as works from leading contemporary artists including Atul Dodiya, Bharti Kher and Jitish Kallat.

A 1981 untitled painting by Mehta, the lauded master of Indian Modernism, is one of the sale highlights and is estimated at $600,000-800,000. The painting depicts two female figures intermingled, demonstrating Mehta’s formal and psychological considerations, and the two forms suggest the tangled figures of his later “Mahisasura” series.

Then there is Husain’s monumental work, “The Battle of Ganga and Jamuna”, painted in 1972 and also estimated at $600,000-800,000. This large diptych was made in the apex of Husain’s career and is a part of a series of 27 paintings he began for the 11th Sao Paolo Biennial. The painting depicts a scene of the ancient Hindu epic “Mahabharata”, detailing the cosmic civil war between forces of right and wrong.

Another highlight of the sale is a rare figurative work by Ram Kumar. “Vagabond”, made in 1956, portrays three isolated and forlorn figures, the mood emphasized by the dark and sombre pallet. It is estimated at $400,000-600,000.

Souza’s untitled nude of 1961 is of spectacular size and a highlight among the dozen paintings by the artist offered in the sale. It is estimated at $350,000-500,000.

Made in the artistic peak of Souza’s career, this work demonstrates why he was known as the “master of lines”. Souza’s paintings reflect his inventive interpretation of the human form, and like Gauguin, possess both a strong sexual aura and a sense of the primitive, the other and the unfamiliar.

The auction presents a fantastic group of works by Raza, encompassing significant phases of his career – from the 1960s abstract expressionist work to the 1980s-90s when he incorporated highly colourful ideas and elements of Tantrism, born from Indian scriptural texts.

“Bindu Pancha Tatva”, painted in 1999, has a geometrical resemblance to the abstract expressionist painting of Frank Stella and Jasper Johns, and the circle is the formal concern around which Raza structures his canvases. It is estimated at $300,000-500,000.

Bhupen Khakhar is an artist who bridges the gap between the modern and contemporary, and his unique and perceptive works have made him one of India’s most revered artists. In the untitled 2002 work offered, Khakhar employs complex spatial arrangement and bold use of colour. The artist treats both men and elephants with equal reverence. It is estimated at $120,000-150,000.

Featuring among the contemporary highlights in the auction is T.V. Santhosh’s “Traces of an Ancient Error”, a 2007 work that is estimated at $150,000-200,000.

Santhosh is internationally known as one of the rising stars of the contemporary Indian art scene with several exhibitions to his credit. His works capitalize on the attributes of post-modernism, and often address the subjects of war, catastrophe and modern society.

Kher is also gaining increasing critical acclaim as one of India’s key contemporary artists. Trained originally as a painter in Britain before moving to India, her range of work has extended to include collage, sculpture and digital photography.

As depicted in her 2005 untitled work, Kher uses the bindi, a symbolic and stylistic adornment in India, as her main aesthetic tool and transforms it to explore the issues between tradition and modernism. This work is estimated at $30,000-50,000.

Evolving from the realist tradition, Rameshwar Broota’s works have gradually moved towards the abstract, as shown in “Traces of a Man-I”, estimated at $180,000-200,000. He has developed a unique way of painting by utilizing a sharp thin blade to bring in light and forms, giving his work a luminous and translucent look.

Other contemporary highlights include Dodiya’s untitled in which he focuses on the horizon and divides the landscape into earth and cosmos. It is estimated at $120,000-150,000.

The sale consists of over 125 lots and is expected to realize in excess of $9 million.

Source: http://www.thaindian.com

Contacts to protest:

New York Office:

Sale center (New York)- +1 212 636 2000
Promotion Office (New York)- +1 212 636 2680
Email: [email protected]

Christie’s Mumbai Office:

Address:
B-11 Dhanraj Mahal, Chhatrapati Shivaji Marg,
Apollo Bunder, Mumbai 400 039
Tel: +91 22 2280 7905
Email: Ganieve Grewal
[email protected]

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» Protest against M.F.Hussain