Voyeur MF Hussain's "Bharat Mata" is a "work of art": says Indian Supreme Court

Last updated on: September 10, 2008 at 9:01 pm by Desh Kapoor

Voyeur MF Hussain's "Bharat Mata" is a "work of art": says Indian Supreme Court 2008-09-10T21:01:40-05:00 Desh Kapoor

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

This week in a landmark judgment of its sort, the Supreme Court termed MF Hussain’s painting of “Bharat Mata” (or Indian Goddess) in nude as a “work of art”.

The 92 year old painter – who lives in a self imposed exile in Dubai is very happy (as I am sure are many of his supporters, amongst them the activists from the secularists brigade) and feels that finally the highest court in his homeland has understood his definition of art.

As the story goes, this is the triumph of “art” and its senstivity. And we are to believe that the old heart of MG Hussain beats persistently for art and its license.

Given that as his motivation – art and its abundant freedom – I was pretty sure that he would have defended the Danish Cartoonist who drew Mohammad’s cartoons. Specially because he would have understood the guy’s pain! And since he was bang in the center of Islamic world – Dubai – he could have made a HUGE difference with his treatise and discussion on artistic sensibility.

But that is what I believed! The reality – zilch! Not even a whimper!

Artistic sensibility should be practiced and touted by those who believe in it with their WHOLE existence! Like it was oxygen. If anybody was deprived of it.. the entire Art world could die! THAT is how the artistic freedom should be defended and fought for!

But for people like MF Hussain it was NOT about artistic freedom, but rather about publicity.. about using the emotions and hurt to people who believed otherwise to create a market! It was never about the oxygen.. it was about the spectacular effect of his sparks that he used to burn someone’s heart and then make money out of it!

I am FOR artistic license. PERIOD. Anybody has right to make anything as art. BUT then I believe ANYTHING! And if I defend Danish Cartoons, I am duty bound to defend Hussain’s paintings itself!

But, unfortunately, I cannot defend MF Hussain! He painted those pictures not as an artist – but as a voyeur to begin with! Otherwise, he would stood on his rooftop in Dubai and shouted hoarse to defend the Danish Editor and newspaper – which he clearly forgot!!

So, irrespective of what people say, Hussain is NOT an artist – but a voyeur – for he himself demeans the artistic freedom and the criticality of it!

Previous Post

September 10, 2008

Higg's Boson: will it be the end of religion and God?

Next Post

September 11, 2008 What does failure of Freddie and Fannie mean?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Aarti Achievement and Leadership AfPak Africa Annual and Year-end Asia Audio Australia Behavioural Sciences Bhagwad Gita Bhagwad Gita Blogging Blogs Business Business Intelligence Business Strategy Cannes Careers Chanakya China Conservation Corruption Creative Daily Links Desh Poems Development & Welfare Devotional Audio Devotional Songs Drama Earth Economics Education Entertainment Environment Europe Everyday Quotes Featured Articles Featured Songs Finance Flickr Pictures Food Geo-Political Global Warming Globalization Health & Medicine Hinduism Historic History Humour India Indian Culture Indian music Indian Weddings Israel Issues Legal Link Love Minorities Misc Motivation and Personal Development Movie Lists Movie Reviews Movies Mumbai terror attacks Natural Disasters Nature News Outsourcing Pakistan Parenting Personal Philosophy Poetry Politics Poverty Quotes Recipe Regular Blog Post Relationships Religion Religious/Spiritual Audio Sciences Showcase Slideshow South Asia Special Stories Spiritual Quotes Spirituality Sports Stories Strategy Technology Technology Terrorism Travel Uncategorized US Video Women Women_s Rights Worship Yoga

Select a Month December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 June 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 September 2014 August 2014 January 2014 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

I wrote of a new covenant where God's law would be written not on stone but where?

Select your answer to see how you score.

On scrolls In a book In the temple On their hearts