• Maqbool Fida Husain

    Maqbool Fida Husain was born in Pandharpur, Maharashtra in the year 1913.

    The name Maqbool Fida Husain has become almost synonymous with contemporary Indian art, and deservedly so, for no single artist has popularised Indian art, within the country or internationally, as Husain has done. His endless quest for his cultural roots and a fearlessly open-minded willingness to absorb diverse influences has made M.F. Husain one of the most recognizable figures of contemporary Indian art.

    He had the exceptional skill to choose themes that blended folk, tribal and mythological art to create vibrantly contemporary, living art forms. His rise as a public figure has as much to do with his style and presentation, as it does with his themes. He depicts the icons of Indian culture, through the ages, seeking to capture the quintessence of his subjects, like Mother Teresa and the characters of epics like the Mahabharata.

  • Education

    • Self-taught

  • Exibitions

    Selected Posthumous Exhibitions

    • 2015 'Abby Grey and Indian Modernism: Selections from the NYU Art Collection', Grey Art Gallery, New York University, New York
    • 2014 'Immutable Gaze Part I: Masterpieces of Modern and Pre-Modern Indian Art', Aicon Gallery, New York
    • 2014 'Post-Picasso: Contemporary Reactions', Museum Picasso of Barcelona, Barcelona
    • 2013 'Maqbool', Soverign fze, Dubai
    • 2013 'Ram Kumar and the Bombay Progressives: The Form and the Figure Part II', Aicon Gallery, New York
    • 2013 'Pioneers of Modernism', Sovereign FZE, Dubai
    • 2013 'Ideas of the Sublime', presented by Vadehra Art Gallery at Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
    • 2013 'The Discerning Eye: Modern Masters', Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2013 'The Naked and the Nude: The Body in Indian Modern Art', Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2012 'Iconic Processions', Aicon Gallery, New York
    • 2012 'Gallery Collection', Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2012 'Indian Highway VI', organized in collaboration with the Serpentine Gallery, London, and the Astrup Fearnley Museet, Oslo, Norway at The Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA), Beijing
    • 2012 'Between 2 Lines', organised by Doha Bank and Blue Mosaic in association with Sotheby’s at Doha Bank Tower, Doha
    • 2012 'Contemporary: A Selection of Modern and Contemporary Art', presented by Sakshi Gallery at The Park, Chennai
    • 2012 'Through the Ages: South Asian Sculpture and Painting from Antiquity to Modernism', Aicon Gallery, New York
    • 2012 'Crossings: Time Unfolded, Part 2', Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA), New Delhi
    • 2012 Gallery Basilio, Bangladesh
    • 2011-12 Presented by ICIA at The Arts Trust, Mumbai
    • 2011-12 Institute of Contemporary Indian Art (ICIA), Mumbai
    • 2011-12 'The Body Unbound', Rubin Museum of Art, New York
    • 2011 'A Tribute to MF Husain', Royal Academy of Arts, London
    • 2011 'The Path of the Lotus: Indian Art', Grosvenor Gallery, London
    • 2011 'Modern Masters', Aicon Gallery, New York
    • 2011-12 'Indian Highway', in collaboration with the Serpentine Gallery, London and the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, Oslo at MAXXI: Museum of XXI Century Arts, Rome
    • 2011 ‘Manifestations VI', Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2011 'States of Departure: Progressives to Present Day', Aicon Gallery, London
    • 2011 'Celebrating Husain', Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2011 'POP: Progressives on Paper', Aicon Gallery, New York

    Selected Solo Exhibitions

    • 2010 'M F Husain 2010 – The World is my Canvas', organised by Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), Qatar Foundation and as part of 2010 Arab Capital of Culture
    • 2010 'M.F. Husain: Early Masterpieces 1950s–70s', sponsored by the Year of India, the Cogut Center for the Humanities, and the David Winton Bell Gallery at David Winton Bell Gallery, Providence
    • 2006-07 ‘Epic India: Paintings by M. F. Husain’, Herwitz Collection of Contemporary Indian Art, Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA
    • 2006 ‘Early Masterpieces 1950-70’s’, Asia House Gallery, London
    • 2005 ‘Exhibition of Prints’, Collector’s Paradise Gallery, Mumbai
    • 2004 ‘Husain (An Exhibition of Graphic Prints in Honor of M S Subbalakshmi), Lakshana Museum of Fine Arts, Chennai
    • 2004 'And Not Just 88: Husain in Oils', National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Mumbai
    • 2004 ‘Husain: Graphic 2004’, Pictures and Frames, Mumbai
    • 2003 ’88 Husains in Oils 003', Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2003 ‘Husain Hieroglyph’, Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 2003 ’88 Husains in Oils 003', Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 2003 ‘Thief of Baghdad’, Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 2003 ’88 Husains in Oils 003', Gallerie 88, Kolkata
    • 2003 Paris
    • 2002 ‘Paintings and Serigraphs by Husain’, Sarjan Art Gallery, Baroda
    • 2002 ‘M .F Husain, Limited Edition Graphics and Reproduction’, Sakshi Gallery in association with Archer Art Gallery, Ahmedabad
    • 2002 ‘Madhuri as Saratchandra’s Chandramukhi: The Eternal Enchantress of Devdas’, Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 2000 ‘Paintings, Murals and Drawings, Husain Ki Sarai Collection’, New Delhi
    • 1998 ‘Maqbool Fida Husain: The Beacon of Energy’, The Window, Mumbai
    • 1998 ‘Husain Now’, Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
    • 1996 ‘From Sinhasan to Peacock Throne to the Chair of the 21st Century: M. F Husain and Jehangir Nagree Exhibition of Furniture’, organized by The Living Room at Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai
    • 1996 ‘Exhibition of Water Colors and Object Based Works’, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1996 Screening of Film ‘Gaja Gamini’, along with an Exhibition of Lithographs and Site Specific Works, New Delhi
    • 1995 ‘Maqbool Fida Husain’, Art Today, New Delhi
    • 1995 ’14 Serigraphs on Madhuri Dixit’, Surya Gallery, Hyderabad
    • 1995 ‘A Visual Script of ‘Untitled Film on Madhuri’, Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1994 ‘Tapestry Show’, Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 1994 ‘Oils on Canvas’, 31st Anniversary Exhibition, Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1993 ‘Let History Cut Across Me Without Me’, organized by Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi at National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), New Delhi
    • 1993 ‘Civilization, Violence and Pather Panchali’, at National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), New Delhi
    • 1992 ‘Six Days of Live Painting’, Tata Centre, Kolkata
    • 1991 ‘Knight Watch’, Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 1991 ‘Shwetambari’, Installation at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1991 ‘Front Page’, Centre for Contemporary art (CCA), New Delhi
    • 1990 ‘Theatre of the Absurd’, Installations, New Delhi
    • 1989 ‘Calcutta 300’, Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 1988 ‘Husain’, Hunter Museum of art, Tennessee, USA
    • 1986 ‘Images of the Raj’, Sista’s Art Gallery, Bangalore
    • 1983 ‘Story of a Brush’, Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1982 ‘Culture of the Streets’, Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1981 ‘Culture of the Streets’, Art Heritage, New Delhi
    • 1981 ‘Les Otages – Mere Theresa’, Galerie Jourdan, Montreal, Canada
    • 1980 ‘Mother and Child: A Tribute to Mother Teresa’, Calcutta Art Gallery, Kolkata
    • 1979 ‘Husain in Malaysia’, The Hilton, Kuala Lumpur
    • 1978 ‘Ragmala Paintings’, Centaur Hotel, Mumbai
    • 1978 ‘Sufi Paintings’, Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1978 ‘Portrait of an Umbrella’, Art Heritage, New Delhi
    • 1978 ‘Retrospective’, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
    • 1975 ‘Maqbool Fida Husain’, Sarla Art Centre, Chennai
    • 1974 Commonwealth Art Centre, London, UK
    • 1974 Moscow Museum of Oriental Art, Moscow
    • 1974 ‘Paintings by Husain’, Worcester Art Museum, USA
    • 1973 ‘Retrospective’, Birla Academy of art and Culture, Kolkata
    • 1973 Espace Cardin, Paris
    • 1972 ‘Paintings 1971’, Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1971 Ashoka Hotel, New Delhi
    • 1969 ’21 Years of Painting’, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1968 ‘Images of Kerala’, Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1968 ‘Six Days of Making: Movements and Moods in Paintings’, Shridharani Gallery, New Delhi
    • 1967 New York, Poland and Czechoslovakia
    • 1966 Mumbai
    • 1966 Oberoi Hotel, New Delhi
    • 1965 ‘Drawings: The Arab Image’, Gallery Chemould, Mumbai, Kolkata and New Delhi; Gallery Waisty, Baghdad and Kabul
    • 1964 Dhoomimal Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 1962 Ashoka Gallery, Kolkata
    • 1962 Mumbai and New Delhi
    • 1961 Ashoka Gallery, Kolkata
    • 1961 Gallery Chemould, Mumbai
    • 1961 Gallery Palse, Rome
    • 1961 Tokyo
    • 1960 Gallery Palse, Rome
    • 1960 Kunst Kabinet, Frankfurt
    • 1956 Gallery Palette, Zurich
    • 1956 Gallery Mannes, Prague
    • 1950 Bombay Art Society, Mumbai

    Selected Group Exhibitions

    • 2011 'Continuum', Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2010-11 'Figure/Landscape: Part Two', Aicon Gallery, London
    • 2010 'Figure/Landscape: Part One', Aicon Gallery, New York
    • 2010 'Who Has Seen Gandhi?', presented by Tangerine Art Space at Raj Bhavan; KynKyny Art Gallery and Tangerine Art Space, Bangalore
    • 2010 'The Modernists', RL Fine Arts, New York
    • 2010 'The Progressives & Associates', Grosvenor Gallery, London
    • 2010 'From Miniature to Modern: Traditions in Transition', Rob Dean Art, London in association with Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 2010 'Symbols and Metaphors', Centre of International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
    • 2010 'Masters of Maharashtra', collection from Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi at Piramal Gallery, National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai
    • 2009,10 'Master Class', The Arts Trust, Mumbai
    • 2009 'Bharat Ratna! Jewels of Modern Indian Art', Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
    • 2009 'In Search of the Vernacular', Aicon Gallery, New York
    • 2009 'Indian Harvest', presented by Crimson- The Art Resouce, Bangalore at SG Private Banking, Singapore
    • 2009 'Long Gone & Living Now', Gallerie Mirchandani + Steinreucke, Mumbai
    • 2009 'Kalpana: Figurative Art in India', presented by The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) at Aicon Gallery, London; The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)
    • 2009 'Progressive to Altermodern: 62 Years of Indian Modern Art', Grosvenor Gallery, London
    • 2008-09 'Signs Taken for Wonders: Recent Art from India and Pakistan', Aicon Gallery, London
    • 2008 'Frame Figure Field: 20th Century Modern and Contemporary Indian Art', Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2008 'Modern and Contemporary Indian Art', Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2008 'Multiple Modernities: India, 1905-2005', Philadelphia Museum of Art, USA
    • 2008 ‘Freedom 2008 – Sixty Years of Indian Independence’, Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
    • 2008 'Tales, Reflection and Constructs', Galerie 88, Kolkata
    • 2008 ‘Exhibition of Seri–Prints’, Studio Vasant, New Delhi
    • 2007 ‘Gateway Bombay’, Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA
    • 2007 ‘From the Vault’, Aicon Gallery, London and New York
    • 2007 ‘Epic India: Paintings by M F Husain’, Peabody Essex Museum, Massachusetts, USA
    • 2006 ‘Pictorial Glimpses’, National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Mumbai
    • 2006 ‘Summer Show’, Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
    • 2006 ‘M F Husain: Early Masterpieces 1950s-70s’, Asia House, London
    • 2006 ‘The Moderns Revisited’, Grosvenor Vadehra, London
    • 2006 ‘Shadow Lines’, Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2006 ‘Making of Divinity’, Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai
    • 2005 ‘Manifestations III’, organized by Delhi Art Gallery at Nehru Center, Mumbai and Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi.
    • 2005 ‘Drishti / Vision: Indian Contemporary Artists’, Valentine Willie Fine Art (VWFA), Kuala Lumpur
    • 2005 ‘Evoking Rasa in Luminous Visions: Indian Art’, Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, MA
    • 2005 ‘Ashta Nayak: Eight Pioneers of Indian Art’, Aicon Gallery, New York
    • 2005 ‘The Sacred Feminine’, Shridharani Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2005 ‘Still Life: The Inscrutable Genre’, Art Motif, New Delhi
    • 2004 ’20 / 20 – A Vision: Looking Back / Looking Forward’, Apparao Galleries, Chennai
    • 2004 ‘Ruminations’, Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai; The Forum, New Delhi; Windsor Manor Hotel, Bangalore; Museum Gallery, Mumbai
    • 2004 ‘Jiva / Life’, Bodhi Art, Singapore
    • 2004 ‘Portrait of a Decade’, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 2004 ‘Manifestations II’, organized by Delhi Art Gallery at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai and Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi.
    • 2004 ‘Concept and Form’, Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2003 ‘Anniversary Master Strokes’, Art Musings, Mumbai
    • 2003 ‘Manifestations I’, organized by Delhi Art Gallery at World Trade Center, Mumbai and Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi.
    • 2002 ‘Art Musings 2002’, Art Musings, Mumbai
    • 2002 ‘Colors of India’, organized by Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata at Mumbai
    • 2001 ‘Anniversary Return to Eden’, Art Musings, Mumbai
    • 2001 ‘Modern Indian Art’, Metropolitan Pavilion, New York
    • 2000 ‘Distillations’, Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata
    • 2000 ‘Timeless Vision: Contemporary Art from the Herwitz Collection’, Haggerty Museum of Art, Milwaukee, WI
    • 2000 New Works, The Fine Art Resource, Berlin
    • 1998 ‘Ruminations’, Apollo Apparao Galleries, Mumbai
    • 1998 ‘The Window’, Mumbai
    • 1997 ‘Indian Painters Having Lives in France’, Alliance Francaise, Pondicherry
    • 1997 ‘The Indian Beast’, Apparao Galleries, Chennai
    • 1997 ‘Inaugural Exhibition’, Art Indus, New Delhi
    • 1997 ‘Tribute to Mother Teressa’, Art Indus, New Delhi
    • 1997 ‘The Keehn Collection: Important Paintings of Post Independence India’, Bose Pacia, New York
    • 1997 ‘Colors of Independence’, National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), New Delhi
    • 1996 ‘Contemporary Indian Paintings: The Chester and Davida Herwitz Collection, Part II, Sotheby’s Auction, New York
    • 1996 ‘Modern and Contemporary Indian Paintings: One Hundred Years’, Sotheby’s Auction, London
    • 1995 ‘River of Art’, Art Today, New Delhi
    • 1995 ‘Contemporary Indian Paintings: The Chester and Davida Herwitz Collection, Part I, Sotheby’s Auction, New York
    • 1995 ‘Art India Now: Important Contemporary Artists’, Bose Pacia, New York
    • 1995 ‘Mithuna’, 91C Jermyn Street, London
    • 1994 Art Today, New Delhi
    • 1994 Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1993 ‘Reflection and Images’, Mumbai
    • 1993 ‘Wounds’, Centre of International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
    • 1991 ‘National Exposition of Contemporary Art’, National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), New Delhi
    • 1991 ‘Husain, Husain and Husain’, Egypt
    • 1991 ‘Remembering Kali Pundole on its 28th Anniversary’, Mumbai
    • 1991 ‘State of Art’, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1991 ‘Nine Indian Contemporaries’, Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA), New Delhi
    • 1988 ‘Festival of India’, Takoka Municipal Museum of Art & Meugro museum of Art, Tokyo
    • 1987 ‘Indian Drawing Today’, Mumbai
    • 1986 ‘Indian Art Tomorrow’, The Phillips Collections, Washington D.C
    • 1986 Contemporary Indian Art, Grey Art Gallery, New York
    • 1985-86 ‘Festival of India’, Exhibition of Contemporary Indian Art, New York University, New York
    • 1985-86 ‘Indian Art Today: 4 Artists’, Washington D.C, USA
    • 1985-86 ‘Contemporary Art in India’, Worcester, USA
    • 1985 100 Jahre Indische Malerei, Altes Museum, Berlin
    • 1985 ‘Six Indian Painters’, Tate Gallery, London
    • 1982 Indische Kunst Heute, Kunsthalle Darmstadt
    • 1982 ‘Contemporary Indian Art’, Festival of India, Royal Academy of Arts, London
    • 1982 ‘Six Indian Painters’, London
    • 1982 ‘Contemporary Indian Art’, London
    • 1982 ‘India: Myth and Reality’, Aspects of Modern Indian Art, Oxford, UK
    • 1982 ‘Modern Indian Paintings’, Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, DC.
    • 1982 Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1973 Gallery Chanakya, New Delhi
    • 1972 ‘A Painter Makes a Film’, Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1970 ‘Art Today II’, Ashoka Gallery, Kolkata and Shridharni Gallery, New Delhi
    • 1969 ‘Art Today I’, New Delhi
    • 1968 Ahmedabad
    • 1967 ’25 Years of Paintings seen in Bombay’, Mumbai
    • 1966 Commonwealth Art Exhibition, London
    • 1966 ‘Art Now in India’, London and Brussels
    • 1964 ‘Indian Paintings Now’, London
    • 1962 Asoka Art Gallery, Kolkata
    • 1961 Gallery Chemould, Mumbai
    • 1958 ‘Eight Painters’, International Culture Centre, New Delhi
    • 1951 Salon de Mai, France
    • 1950 Calcutta Group – Progressive Art Group, Joint Show, Kolkata
    • 1950 Bombay Art Society's Salon, Mumbai
    • 1948-56 Group Exhibitions with Progressive Art Group
    • 1949 Mumbai

    Joint Exhibitions

    • 2011 'Between 2 Lines', with Owais Husain at Indian Embasy, Muscat
    • 2009 ‘Spirit of India’, with S H Raza at Kings Road Galleries, London

    Participations

    • 2011 'Ethos V: Indian Art Through the Lens of History (1900 to 1980), Indigo Blue Art, Singapore
    • 2011 'Goddess, Lion, Peasant, Priest: Modern and Contemporary Indian Art', from the Collection of Shelley and Donald Rubin at Oglethorpe University Museum of Art, Atlanta
    • 2011 ‘Manifestations V', Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2011 'Roots in the Air, Branches Below: Modern & Contemporary Art from India', San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose
    • 2011 'Time Unfolded', Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA), New Delhi
    • 2011 'Celebrations 2011', Kumar Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2010 'Evolve: 10th Anniversary Show', Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 2010 'Art Dubai 2010', presented by Aicon Gallery, New York
    • 2010 ‘Manifestations IV', Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2010 'Roots', 25th Anniversary Exhibition of Sakshi Art Gallery, Mumbai at The Park, Chennai
    • 2010 'Celebration 2010', Annual Exhibition, Kumar Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2009 'Armory Show', New York presented by Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2008-09 'Modern India', organized by Institut Valencià d'Art Modern (IVAM) and Casa Asia, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture at Valencia, Spain
    • 2008-09,10 'Indian Highway', a Traveling Exhibition presented in Collaboration with Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, Oslo at Serpentine Gallery, London; Herning Museum of Contemporary Art (HEART), Herning, Denmark
    • 2008-09 'Paz Mandala', Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
    • 2008 'Moderns', Royal Cultural Centre, Amman, Jordan organized by Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi in collaboration with Embassy of India, Amman, Jordan
    • 2008 'Harvest 2008', organized by Arushi Arts at The Stainless Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2007-08 'From Everyday To The Imagined: Modern Indian Art', Singapore Art Museum, Singapore and at Museum of Art, Seoul National University, Seoul
    • 2001 ‘Jubilant Gold: 50 Years of Artists’ Centre, Artists’ Centre, Mumbai
    • 1987 ‘Festival of India’, Russia
    • 1987 ‘Coups de Couer’, Halle de I’lle, Geneva
    • 1985-86 Bharat Bhavan Biennale, Bhopal
    • 1971 Sao Paulo Biennale, Brazil
    • 1959 Sao Paulo Biennale, Brazil
    • 1959 Tokyo Biennale, Japan
    • 1955 National Exhibition, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
    • 1955 Venice Biennale, Italy
    • 1953 Venice Biennale, Italy

    Maqbool Fida Husain passed away in the year 2011.