Psychoanalysis of a painter - MF Hussein

First of all, I would like to Thank Megha for giving me this opportunity to rant about the original Indian idiot, the painter MF Hussein. I would also take this opportunity to thank girish for bringing this incident to megha's attention. I would also like to thank my parents (Looking up dreamily at the sky and mumbling "I love you mom, dad") the noisy street dogs who wont let me sleep and ofcourse how can I forget God - the evil conspirator who makes each day of my life "the worst" day ever.

Sorry guys, have been watching grammy, apsara and dubakoor awards all week so got a little overwhelmed with emotion. Anyway coming back to the issue of the day. I think, Hussein MF is the original indian idiot. not asshole, not bastard, not hypocrite, but idiot. Going forward, I hope I am able to explain why he is an idiot and not the rest of it all. Anyway here is a sitter of an explaination. In today's world of widespread usage of cusswords and heavy cussword-impact-fatigue both on the eardrum and on the grey cells, something as simple and plain as "an idiot" has greater effect than asshole or motherfucker or dickhead. I mean my nephew who just started speaking has already mouthed "shit". I am sure in time simple derogatory words like "fool", "idiot" would be considered more offensive. A few years from now someone getting into a street fight might no longer get angry if the other guy calls him a mother fucker or dick head. Though by themselves mother fucker and dick head are highly derogatory, the frequency of usage of these two words in modern communication has eroded their impacts considerably. "Idiot" will become the most powerfull insult of the future. Wars can be fought on them. Go on try it out in your life. conduct an experiment. Call someone something horrible like asshole and call him an idiot. See which one makes him more angry. Today people know when something is an over reaction and ignore the over reaction. Asshole or mother fucker is an over reaction. Idiot seems just right. As of now few people have a lead over the rest in laying claim to the title of "idiot".

You are right, MF Hussein surely gives tough competition to George bush for the exclusive title "The idiot". But for the "the Indian idiot" MF hussein has no competition. He is a class apart.




MF Hussein is no stranger to erotic art. But as time goes by and as he gets older and older, his artistic sense borders on the macabre. For all those who are inclined towards beastality and who would gladly argue "that meow/trumphet/roar/squek" of the animal actually means pleasure and not trauma, I apologise; I cant be politically correct. Its not even got to do with the sodomy laws or so called unnatural sexual unions. Its straight forward dangerous. Forget the fact that it was laxmi copulating with an elephant (ok.. baby elephant). Even if it were fathima, it would be damm freaking dangerous ? Does he realise it is an elephant ??

I am sure it is just artistic license and doesent mean factual representation in the real world. But, isnt it wierd that the imagination of a painter (an erotic painter at that) borders on the most macabre of all acts ? A die hard tantric like me who thinks cannibalism (as long as the food is already dead of other causes) is not immoral or perverse feels there is something really low down on beastality acts.

there is one other way of looking at MF Hussein's paintings. Hussein like any other painter uses the canvas as a means to express his innermost desires unfullfillable in his life. Just to stroke his ego (did I say stroke ?, maybe I should say paw or gnaw or scratch) there are these "associate idiots" sociolites like "Nafisa Ali", who flutter around Hussein like love struck butterflies. I am sure Nafisa Ali must have been praying to allah, please make me an elephant.

Another thing that is worth noting in all of the said hussein beastality paintings (available for view at Snatan ) have the male animals having sex with hindu godesses. Mostly, it is sita, parvathi, laxmi and saraswathi. Its never Jesus the holy christ or Allah.

If he draws an allah/fathima or any one of allah's wives, sisters, daughters, hussein would have to find a cosy elephant ass and hide himself just like his friend rushdie did. To understand why hussein does all these nataks, one needs to go back into history when he was a struggling painter and he would paint giant bollywood hoardings in mumbai.

Hussein learnt early on that popularity/notoroiety works to his benifit and his pieces worthless as they might be, would sell in the art circles. Anything to do to get the attention of people and be in the public is legitimate subject to be painted by him. Moreover there were many animal based movies like "Haathi mera saathi", "Bandhar mera andhar" etc. etc. Hussein owes to these animals but being a muslim cannot represent himself or any of his gods to be with his favourite animals. In fact he secretly longs for the freedom hindu religion gives him to do whatever he wants in India. Afterall within India one can have a free license to do anything and everything as long as the target of such an attack is one of the million gods/godesses.

MF Hussein has made it a habit of being irreverant, insulting, obnoxious of every other community except the one he fears (Islam) so that he can continue to stroke his abysmally low self esteem by being in the spotlight. I would love to give him a bigger spotlight and request the proprieter of gemini circus (who I am acqainted with) to give hussein a job. The animals, especially the lions are restive and havent had u know... ;)

The most liked sardar writer Kushwant singh, though displaying similar tendancies turned out to be an honest and honourable man. He openly admitted once that his vulgar language and sexual inuendos actually hide a deep sense of sexual insecurity. extrapolating the same argument given by Kushwant singh onto hussein, surely hussein seems to be terribly underendowed... I have known people exhibit starkly opposite behaviour on the outside to compensate for a vaccum inside. The deeper the vaccum the starker and more obnoxious is the exhibit.

I care really less for how indian society is going to view this. There are other more urgent things to take care off. People dont have food, many dont even have access to basic healthcare and education. I think the antics of one idiot isnt worth their attention.

What I am really worried about is the plight of animals in mumbai. Did you guys notice that panthers and leapords in borivalli national park have become a little agitated these days ? If I were you, having a cat, dog, donkey, elephant, iguana or any such pets I would watch out for them. A mad man is on the prowl stalking and prying on unsuspecting animals.

Just one word of caution to "the original Indian idiot" hussein. Be careful with the snake and certain kinds of fish like piranahas. You may not be there anymore to paint.

Atleast thank god he isnt married. Imagine hussein doing a panda (who imagines himself to be Radha) and roaming the streets on all fours.

Sicko!!!!