Lot of tributes have been paid to this genius. However, our own Francis Newton D'Souza passed away before Hussan and, hence, could not give his opinion. But he did provided me with one when his colleague in the Progressive Artists' Group, which was formed with some other noted painters, was alive. It was in the mid-90s, I think, when I visited New York and called FN Souza. Talking over the phone I asked him some questions on the current Indian art scene and Hussain's painting of the actress Madhuri Dixit. Newton's, in his inimitable way, replied,"Hussain has become a pop artist." I still remember he saying that since Picasso is no longer there, he is now the greatest. I knew one of the members of the group, Raza, quite well as I bumped into him often at the Jehangir Art Gallery. I once saw Hussain at the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai walking barefoot. I was told by a friend in Dubai that Hussain was seen walking in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) in socks. I believe there is a story behind why he didn't wear shoes, or rarely wore them, but I haven't heard it. He lived in Dubai for quite some time as he has family members in that emirate. He moved to Qatar possibly because the country was going to bestow its citizenship on him. Thank the Lord, he didn't paint Mother Theresa nude instead of in the abstract form. If he had done would it have enraged the Christians, particularly Catholics?
Eugene Correia
