Modern Master

A major new exhibition at DAG Delhi sheds light on key moments in the artistic career of M.F. Husain

- Aditya Mani Jha

The late M.F. Husain's (1915-2011) painting 'Tomare Salaam' (Satyajit Ray) (oil on canvas, 94.5 x 47.2 inches) is a delightful example of one visual master depicting another in his inimitable style. Signed 'Husain' in Bangla, the painting shows Ray mid-gesture, several iterations of his hands showing "motion lines" à la superhero comics. Ray is doing what he did best, instructing his cast and crew, bringing to life whole worlds before our eyes. "I am very grateful to him because through his films I have known India with a very deep insight," says the handwritten caption at the bottom right-hand corner.

The same observation can be made of Husain's formidable body of work, as seen through Husain: The Timeless Modernist, DAG Delhi's new exhibition which began on October 26 and shall be open to viewers until December 14. A co-founder of the Progressive Artists' Group, Husain was one of the most important Indian artists of his lifetime. The Timeless Modernist takes viewers through the various phases of his long and distinguished career, focusing on the man's key influences, motifs and preoccupations.