‘His sense of placement was perfect’

Todayihavelostoneofmyclosestfriends. I have been losing them often now — Tyeb Mehta,vsgaitonde,mfhusain—butnow I feel a bit left out and lonely. We have shared a long association and a friendship that began years ago, when I first saw Raza sitting in a corner at Warden Road in Mumbai, drawing or painting the buildings,thecity.ididnotknowhimbackthen, but in the coming years we were to exhibit together,andgrowoldtogether.hewasresponsible for getting me into the Progressiveartists’group.wealldispersed overtheyearsbutremainedverycloseknit, exchanging letters, meeting each other whenever we could.

When I went to London for my first exhibition there in 1959, he was already an artist of repute, and exchanged with me a list of people I should interact with. He did thesamewhenishowedtherein1960and 1962. In fact, I remember his very first exhibition in Paris in the early ’50s, where he showed with Akbar Padamsee and FN Souza, which was extremely well-received. Several well-known collectors were present and bought their works. At this stage, what he was painting was a shoot off from thetraditionalindianwayofthinking;even his depiction of the Parisian houses. With his death we’ve lost one of India’s best colourists, whose sense of placement was absolutely perfect, whether he was paintingkashmirorparis.hewasamagnificent artist and there is a lot to learn from him. Whenhewontheprixdelacritiqueaward in 1956, it was a proud moment for Indian art.thecriticsherecelebratedtheachievement, writing how “our painter got the most coveted award in Paris.”

For me, his death is also a personal loss. Hewasoneofmyoldestfriendsandweremained staunch friends till the very end. Wheniquitmyjobatthegrindlaysbankin 1961topursueartfull-time,hehadthrown a dinner party in Paris to celebrate, while we were celebrating in Mumbai. It was heartening to know that there was a fraternity like that, and friends who cared. I stayed with him whenever I visited Paris, even when he had a modest apartment, withoneroomforhimandhiswife,whom he was madly in love with, and a small living room, with a probably 12th century bunk that he was very proud of. We discussed art all the time, shared laughs and ourconcerns.hewasagreatadmirerofmy ability to recite poetry at will, and I loved doing that. He wasn’t a closed book, or just a painter, but an admirer of literature and music. I remember when he initially went tostudyinfrance,hetaughthinditomake ends meet, even designed book covers, strivingforperfectionineverythinghedid.

He has left a great legacy behind and we should be thankful for what he has given us.

Krishen Khanna is a veteran artist and member of the Progressive Artists’ Group.

ASTOLDTOVANDANAKALRA

Krishen Khanna with Raza