Ahead of F N Souza’s 95th birth anniversary, son F P Souza reminisces about his famous artist father with ANUPAMA CHANDRA
An artist par excellence and a founding member of the Progressive Artists’ Group of Bombay, F N Souza is a figure not far from anyone’s mind when Indian art is being discussed. With the Aspire auction featuring Souza’s art set to take place from April 5-13, 2019 and a clutch of exhibitions, this firebrand artist is in the public eye like never before.
Ahead of his next birth anniversary, we caught up with his son Francis Patrick Souza to learn about the other shrouded parts of his personality.
A vivid memory of an indulgent father
“There is a vivid memory of Dad’s absolute indulgence for me, even when I was an infant,” begins FP. “I was in my crib, and my mother Barbara wanted to maintain a schedule for my bedtimes, feedings, etc. On that particular night, I was only a few months old and wanted to stay up and play with both my parents, especially Dad! And my mother put her foot down about me having to go to sleep, much to both our chagrin.
“And in spite of her putting me in my crib and going to attend to some housework, Dad snuck into my bedroom and started playing with me anyway. And when Mom came to know of this, she came into my bedroom and shouted at Dad,” painting a picture of the artist as a very regular father.
His driving force to paint
“Dad came from a family of professionals and business people, and wealthy ancestral landlords on his paternal side. He is the first, and thus far only, artist in the entire Souza family history, with my youngest daughter Valery about to become a gynaecologist, one son Derick an engineer and other son Philip a real estate lawyer,” FP enumerates.
F P Souza |
“However, we have always appreciated the fine arts, classical music and literature. So, I believe this love of the art was in Dad’s DNA from the start as well as in his childhood environment.”
No country for artists?
When asked about Souza’s famous quote – “Better had I died, would have saved me a lot of trouble. I would not have had to bear an artist’s tormented soul, create art in a country that despises her artists and is ignorant about her heritage,” FP laughed and said, “My dad had a strong tendency to be melodramatic and maudlin at times. But I think he really loved his life. He had a great life and was loved by his family,” he recounted. “He had a wonderful relationship with my mom and he was absolutely elated by my birth and that of my younger brother (late) Joseph.
“As for his commentary about India being a country that ‘despises’ its artists, I feel that it’s about at an earlier time when there was little appreciation for contemporary arts in this part of the world. Dad was happy, however, with the new appreciation of modernist art that developed in South Asia in the last decade of his life, especially with galleries and fine art promoters like the Cymroza gallery in Mumbai, and Aziz Kurta internationally,” he clarified.
“As for his statement on people being ‘ignorant’ of their heritage, he appeared to be stating the truth. A significant amount of South Asian people are ignorant of their own history and heritage. I am a historian with a Bachelor of Arts degree in world geo-political history and am aware that this ignorance isn’t contained to any place. Most people are unaware of history and this really must change. In order to know where one is headed, one has to know where one came from.”
Souza and Husain
“When I was eight, I remember attending a NYC dinner party with my dad at the residence of the then Consulate General of India, and M F Husain was there as well. They apparently hadn’t seen each other in many years. But I remember how they were both so affectionate and affable with each other, as if they had just met the previous week,” FP reminiscences about the two great artists.
“In retrospect, that is a priceless memory to have and to hold. The two undisputed masters of contemporary South Asian fine arts scene sharing an evening together like old college friends,” FP smiles at the memory. “Just like dad, Husain was a great human being.”
Father Dearest
How do you describe his art?
My dad’s art is expressionist and figurative! He admired and emulated Pablo Picasso to a great extent and to a lesser extent Salvador Dali!
He is one our best modernists. Which of his styles/paintings is your favourite?
My father was a certified genius in terms of his fine art. So I couldn’t possibly choose just one style of Dad’s, although I have a personal preference for his canvas work, especially his landscapes, still life and portraits.
What is the one thing about your father that the world does not know?
I am the only person who would possibly know this about Dad, and to some extent my mother, that is how sensitive and vulnerable Dad was.
