THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Muqbool Fida Husain stepped out of the car again, before speeding off to catch the flight to Delhi, to give his love to an artist who was documenting him. He drew a quick sketch of a horse, signed it in his own signature way and presented it to the artist - J Sasikumar. On Thursday, when the experimental face of Indian painting disappeared behind the clouds, Sasikumar has been left with the sketch and the memories of meeting the doyen of art world, close to his heart. At his home-gallery in PTP Nagar, artist Sasikumar treasures the sketch like a pearl in a casket. Thursday’s news flooded in him the memories of the making of his documentary ‘M F Husain’, for which the legendary painter was here for a short stay. ‘’It was the time when his film ‘Gaja Gamini’ was over. The documentary dwelled upon the artist, his foray into another visual medium and about his paintings. We interacted closely during the time of the documentary which made me realise in the canvas of life he was a bigger frame than he appeared to be,’’ recalls Sasikumar. The artist remembers that it was the last month of 1999 and Husain stayed with him for nearly a week for the making of the documentary. It was soon after screened at the Kalabhavan theatre. "Only an artist can seek the resemblance between Nature and Woman and Nature and Humans and Nature and Other beings in the way Husain has done. He could easily translate it from one visual medium to another. That he experimented while doing this translation is what he earned all the criticism for. If he could draw an elephant on the tail of Hanuman, it was because he had an understanding and interest in the ‘Puranas’ and not because he despised our heritage,’’ Sasikumar says. It was before leaving Thiruvananthapuram that Husain presented Sasikumar with the sketch as a token of his love. ‘’He had got in, but then stepped out of the car to give me this sketch,’’ the artist recalls. The very next year, Sasikumar had conducted an exhibition of paintings on M F Husain, revealing his admiration to the painter in a big manner. Even after Husain had left the country, the two have been in touch. ‘’The last time we talked over the phone, he had appreciated me for sending him a picture that I had taken,’’ Sasikumar says. The exit of the legendary painter from India was painful to Sasikumar just like it hurt the art world. ‘’When the whole world is out there to pin you down, it’s difficult to paint. Husain saab wanted to paint which is why he left the country,’’ Sasikumar says. Also a representative of the Society for Preservation of Cultural Heritage, Sasikumar is planning to send an e-mail to the Prime Minister requesting him to bring the body of the painter to the country. "It was M F Husain who attracted international attention to Indian painting. It would be a shame if his remains could not find a home here,’’ Sasikumar echoes the wish of the art world.
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