[Reader-list] SC refuses to take action against M F Husain

[Alexander Keefe]

Meanwhile, the "miscreants" are at it again, this time with a rather less
exalted target.  The public discourse on contemporary art in this country
seems to oscillate between two equally mythological black-box entities: "the
market" and "sentiment".  I'm waiting for the article that brings them
together: "The Economics of Having Your Art Show Trashed by Hooligans".
Until then:

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/10/stories/2008091061950300.htm

*Paintings exhibition vandalised *

NEW DELHI: A group of hooligans vandalised a paintings exhibition titled
"Kamayani" by Manjit Singh at India Habitat Centre here on Tuesday.

Over half-a-dozen persons donning saffron scarves stormed into the
exhibition hall and smashed the paintings and raised slogans. They also
manhandled Manjit Singh who had to be taken to the All-India Institute of
Medical Sciences. The miscreants fled before the private security guards at
India Habitat Centre could reach the spot.

A senior police officer said: "It is difficult to say which organisation was
behind the attack."

According to Manjit Singh's son Jasvinder, a couple of visitors had made
some adverse comments on the paintings in the visitors' book on Monday,
saying the paintings were against Hindu culture.

The four-day exhibition was to end on Tuesday.


On Mon, Sep 8, 2008 at 10:54 PM, Yousuf <ysaeed7 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> SC refuses to take action against M F Husain
>
> NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court refused to initiate criminal proceedings
> against noted painter M F Husain for allegedly hurting public sentiments
> through some of his paintings that were dubbed as obscene.
>
> "There are many such pictures, paintings and sculptures and some of them
> are in temples also," a bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan said,
> dismissing one such petition.
>
> The bench, also comprising Justices P Sathasivam and J M Panchal, was not
> impressed with the argument that Hussain was taking advantage of his age and
> reputation to get away with the law by painting obscene pictures.
>
> One such creation of the painter, titled Bharat Mata, was brought before
> the apex court for its scrutiny.
>
> Maharashtra-based Dwaipayan Venkateshacharya Varkhedkar had challenged a
> Delhi High Court verdict quashing the criminal proceedings initiated against
> the eminent painter in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
>
> Husain's paintings,depicting Bharat Mata and Hindu gods and goddesses, had
> created a furore. Husain had started receiving threats from right-wing
> groups like the VHP and the Bajrang Dal. Husain is living in a self-imposed
> exile in Dubai now.
>
> The proceedings against the painter were initiated on the basis of
> complaints filed in Panderpur (Maharastra), Rajkot (Gujarat) and Indore
> (Madhya Pradesh) claiming that his paintings were obscene and that they hurt
> public sentiments.
>
> The criminal complaints filed in various places were shifted to the Patiala
> House district courts in the Capital after the artist had approached the
> apex court.
>
> After the transfer of cases, Husain, 90, had filed a petition in the Delhi
> High Court for quashing the complaints which was allowed on May 8 this year.
>
>
> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/SC_refuses_to_take_action_against_M_F_Husain/articleshow/3459623.cms
>
>
>
>
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