Drawing 1964

M.F. Husain made this drawing in 1964 with what looks like a felt tip pen on paper. The lines are confident, like he’s not second-guessing the image. There's a process of reduction going on here. Look at the way the lines are layered to create tone and volume, especially in the canopy of the trees. It’s almost like he's using the pen to sculpt the shapes, building up areas of darkness and shadow with these quick, repetitive marks. The figure with the beard could almost be a self-portrait. The overall feeling is a sense of immediacy, like Husain was capturing a fleeting moment or idea. It reminds me of Matisse’s line drawings, but with a rawer, more urgent energy. In Husain’s paintings he created a more complex, colourful world, whereas here he just dives into a basic form of making and thinking. Art, like life, is full of endless possibilities, always shifting and changing.