Husains' painting climbs the million-dollar mark

DOES A MILLION MATTER? For an artist who has been the most famous of them all, does it really matter?

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Keywords: Million Dollar Mark, Painting

New Delhi: Husain's work has finally climbed up to cross the million-dollar mark but the questions is that for an artist who has been the most famous of them all and whose market has always done well, does it really matter?

Tyeb Mehta was the first to do it in 2005 with Mahishasura going down for $1.5 million. It was followed by a host of others who ran past the million dollar mark like Souza, Raza, Sher-Gil and Gaitonde. However, for the most famous of them all, MF Husain, reached the highest at $1.1 million or Rs 4.4 crore only recently in an auction organised by Emami Chisel Art Auction House in Kolkata.

Despite Husain's rock star stature in the art world, artists and art critics take the news differently.

"Well, it's fine, nothing to jump out of your skin about. Of course, I am glad it's a million dollar mark, but it was a charity and therefore that might explain a part of it,” says artist, Krishen Khanna.

However art critic, Alka Pandey feels that to come back time and again is crucial. “Visibility is very important. Husain is a fine artist, but not talked about and not seen. His crossing a million mark is great news,” adds Alka.

The painting was done in 1989, as a tribute to the slain activist Safdar Hashmi. "For whoever bought the painting, I hope the money is used for the upliftment of people for who Safdar worked for and died for,” says Safdar Hashmi's sister, Shabnam Hashmi.

Both MF Husain and Safdar Hashmi are victims of their art. One died because of his hard-hitting theatre, the other lives in exile because of his controversial art works.