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Thursday, June 09, 2005
The butterfly and the hands
There is nothing I dislike more in art more than cheap symbolism. Mid Day has a news story about a lady who has made a painting of the Marine Drive rape, and she explains it thus:
"Look at the candles in the painting," said my pretentious friend, when we paused in front of one canvas. "They represent hope."
"Um, I don't think so," I said. "That's really cliched symbolism. I don't think such a big artist [I didn't know much about Hussain in those days] would use such cheap symbolism."
"No, I'm telling you, candle represents hope. This is great art, Amit. Such vision. Such creativity."
I sneered. "Rubbish," I said.
Then Hussain went to the front to speak, in a blaze of flashbulbs and so on. Someone asked him to explain what that painting was about.
"The candles in my painting," he said, "signify hope..."
A look of delight spread itself across my pretentious friend's face. I slouched my shoulders and sulked.
The butterfly signifies youth and innocence, the black designs on the butterfly are ‘eyes’ which are eager to experience new things and watch the world. The green background is the sky. The hands near the butterfly show how evil is lying in wait to crush the butterfly.Sigh. This reminds me of when I was in college in Poona and had gone to see an exhibition by MF Hussain at which the great man himself was present. A rather pretentious friend of mine had accompanied me.
"Look at the candles in the painting," said my pretentious friend, when we paused in front of one canvas. "They represent hope."
"Um, I don't think so," I said. "That's really cliched symbolism. I don't think such a big artist [I didn't know much about Hussain in those days] would use such cheap symbolism."
"No, I'm telling you, candle represents hope. This is great art, Amit. Such vision. Such creativity."
I sneered. "Rubbish," I said.
Then Hussain went to the front to speak, in a blaze of flashbulbs and so on. Someone asked him to explain what that painting was about.
"The candles in my painting," he said, "signify hope..."
A look of delight spread itself across my pretentious friend's face. I slouched my shoulders and sulked.
