[Reader-list] Absence of Husain at Art Summit

[Murali V]

Dear Mr. Inder Salim,

Why restrict freedom of expression to artists alone?  To a serial
killer also it is a freedom of expression. Why do we have a censor
board for films?

Regards,
V Murali

On Fri, Aug 14, 2009 at 11:11 PM, Inder Salim<indersalim at gmail.com> wrote:
> Dear Murali ji
>
> fine, if you want to a Hindu face of Muslim Fundamentalism, fine,
> i wont touch you, as both are  more dangerous than swine flue to
> Freedom of Expression.
>
> about suggesting what Artists should do or what they should not.
> what do you think if they listen to each and every body about their
> inner drives to choose their subject matters.
> will there  be art and poetry.
>
> imagine, Ghalib composing his verses after listening to a Maulana ji
> at the mosque
>
> let us laugh, and let the artistic freedom thrive in a society which
> is already reeling under threat from various other factors.
>
> with love
> is
>
>
>
> On Fri, Aug 14, 2009 at 11:04 PM, Murali V<murali.chalam at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Fine. I hope you would recall the Danish cartoon  and its aftermath.
>> Then why doesnt M F Hussain represent similar artistic thoughts to his
>> faith.
>>
>> Regards,
>> V Murali
>>
>> On Fri, Aug 14, 2009 at 10:58 PM, Inder Salim<indersalim at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> well, we are told to believe ( in Hinduism as well ) that God is one,
>>> has no gender, colour  texuture or name, so no question depiting GOD
>>> with or without garments
>>>
>>> and if  God exists in multiples, in all the faces of all the human
>>> beings, animals, plants, mountains seas, air and sunlight, then the
>>> question of depicting this way or that does alter very little since
>>> the surface is vast and endless.
>>>
>>> Art is fun, and strangely liberates those who look into eye of it
>>> constatnly. that is another matter, which needs a cool and patient
>>> listening.......... But, right now
>>>
>>> let us re-read what  Justice  Sanjay Kishan. Kaul said is his land
>>> mark2007 judgement in support of freedom of expresion,  thus
>>> exonarating  Artist MF Hussain from the so called indecent deptiction
>>> of Hindu Goddess,  and simultaneously questioined the Right Wing Hindu
>>> intolarant and ingnorant face of our polity, who have nothing but an
>>> axe to grind.
>>>
>>> with love
>>> is
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Fri, Aug 14, 2009 at 10:34 PM, Murali V<murali.chalam at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> Well who is the next hindu godess to be depicted nude by M F Hussain.
>>>>
>>>> Regards,
>>>> V Murali
>>>>
>>>> On Fri, Aug 14, 2009 at 7:01 PM, Inder Salim<indersalim at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> Dear all
>>>>>
>>>>> please click to see
>>>>>
>>>>> http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_pllHvmNB5GI/Sn7kVWsGT2I/AAAAAAAAAPE/lF_BbjckUgg/s1600-h/sraswati+with+text1.jpg
>>>>>
>>>>> image in solidarity with MF Hussain
>>>>>
>>>>> with love
>>>>> inder salim
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Wed, Aug 12, 2009 at 2:36 PM, ashok kumari<sahmat8 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> we are submitting a memo to the home minister on Husain not being included
>>>>>> in the Art Summit. Please send your endorsement as soon as possible.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Minister of Home Affairs
>>>>>> Government of India
>>>>>> North Block
>>>>>> New Delhi
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Dear Shri Chidambaram,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> We - artists, gallerists and critics, are approaching you on behalf of the
>>>>>> artists community on the long standing issue of attempts by Hindu right-wing
>>>>>> groups to effectively impose a ban on exhibiting any work by our greatest
>>>>>> living artist, 94 year old MF Husain, through threats of assault and
>>>>>> violence. These groups, including the BJP, Bajrang Dal, Sri Ram Sena, the
>>>>>> VHP, and the Shiv Sena have led a concerted communal campaign against Husain
>>>>>> accusing him of blasphemy since 1996. This campaign has taken a violent form
>>>>>> on many occasions and has also led to cases being filed against the artist
>>>>>> in courts across India, and has led to Husain's self-imposed exile.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> In a landmark judgement dismissing three such cases in the Delhi High Court
>>>>>> in 2007, Justice Sanjay Kishen Kaul defended the right of freedom of
>>>>>> expression under the Constitution of India. The Union Ministry of Culture,
>>>>>> during the previous Art Summit held in 2008 had categorically stated “Shri
>>>>>> M. F. Husain is one of the most prominent artist of the country and the
>>>>>> absence of his works at the India Art Summit will not reflect the true art
>>>>>> scenario of India.”
>>>>>>
>>>>>> We are very disturbed by reports that the upcoming International India Art
>>>>>> Summit taking place at Pragati Maidan from August 19-24th has asked
>>>>>> participating galleries for the second year running to not display the work
>>>>>> of Husain citing fear of attacks. We enclose a report from the Telegraph
>>>>>> which quotes them as saying that the Home Ministry has offered no assurance
>>>>>> of security.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> We find it shocking that the work of the most famous artist cannot be shown
>>>>>> in the country of his birth, even though he is not a criminal, nor is his
>>>>>> work proscribed or banned. The Art Summit is being attended by luminaries
>>>>>> from around the world, and it is a sad state of affairs that we, who
>>>>>> justifiably pride ourselves as a great democracy, cannot resist threats from
>>>>>> these groups who we see as no less than other terrorists who threaten our
>>>>>> daily lives.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> We request a meeting with you to apprise you of the art community's anguish
>>>>>> and concern.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Yours Sincerely,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Vivan Sundaram, Ram Rahman, Parthiv Shah, Shireen Gandhi, Dadiba Pundole,
>>>>>> Geetha Mehra, Gayatri Sinha, Arun Vadhera, Renu Modi, Ashish Anand, Devika
>>>>>> Daulet Singh, Geeta Kapur, Peter Nagy
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ________________________________
>>>>>> See the Web's breaking stories, chosen by people like you. Check out Yahoo!
>>>>>> Buzz.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
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