Krishen Khanna at 100: An extraordinary journey of storytelling through art
From his legendary wit to empathy towards people on the margins—friends and family share stories from the life of this prolific Modernist, whose practice remains as relevant ever
An epitome of a true friend
Though Karan Khanna remembers snatches of the time spent in Chennai, his earliest memories are of Kanpur where his father, artist Krishen Khanna, was transferred in the years between 1959 and 1961. The family lived there in a big bungalow with a lawn when his father was working in Grindlays Bank. “He would go to work and come home to paint," says Karan. It is Delhi, though, that he remembers most fondly when his parents, siblings, aunt and cousins lived together. This was also the time when Khanna shifted to painting full-time. Later, he accepted a monthly contract of ₹500 to paint for Kumar Art Gallery, which also exhibited his works later. “I must’ve been seven or eight years old when I became his studio assistant. My job was to clean the brushes and the colour palette," remembers Karan. The house in Mathura Road had a barsati, which doubled up as Khanna’s studio.
Karan remembers his home always being an open house for visitors and Khanna’s friends-artists such as V.S. Gaitonde, Tyeb Mehta, M.F. Husain, Ram Kumar, and more. “The Progressive artists were uncles to us, and later our family grew with everyone’s children coming together to celebrate festivals, events, and occasions," remembers Karan. The artists would often have constructive arguments on art, and would meet the next day as if nothing had happened. “They could have their own points of view but eventually the bond between all of them was really strong, and that allowed friendships to remain intact," he adds.
One of the biggest learnings for Karan has been that of discipline and diligence. Today, even though Khanna doesn’t paint regularly, he continues to draw daily. The artist also stands as an epitome of a true friend—be it helping Gaitonde when the artist met with an accident or by hosting Kumar’s exhibition at home and buying some of his artworks as well.
In their home in Gurugram, paintings of fellow Progressives such Husain, Mehta, and S.H. Raza hold pride of place. “He looks at his friends’ works everyday, telling us often that he misses them a lot," says Karan. While the Khanna household is brimming with family members who are in town to celebrate 100 years of the artist, the centenarian recently confessed to his son, “Kisko bulaoon, ab koi friend hai hee nahi (whom should I call, none of my friends are around)." That being said, the artist remains happy and cheerful, with that radiant smile always on his face. “It’s good karma that I’m their son and that my parents are still with us, happy and healthy," says Karan.
Simply sophisticated
Curator and art writer Uma Nair’s association with the Khanna family goes back to the time when Renuka—her classmate and friend Karan’s mother—would encourage her to write after reading her school essays. Many years later, Nair would curate group shows featuring Krishen Khanna’s sculptures and paintings, and would write about him in several publications. “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication and that completely defines Krishen Khanna. He’s a man of integrity, and creates works of art that speak of the truth," she says.
Khanna’s works are as relevant as ever for highlighting people on the margins. The much feted Bandwalla series of the early 1980s is a fitting example of Khanna’s empathetic gaze. In the late 1970s, the artist encountered a baraat, or a wedding procession, where he noticed the frayed scarlet red garments of these musicians with their large brass instruments, playing popular film tunes while looking frail and tired. It was then that he decided to capture “this common man" on his canvas. In a catalogue that she wrote for theThe Indian Council for Cultural Relations, titled ‘Krishen Khanna: Paintings and Drawings, A Human Odyssey, 70 Years', the artist is quoted as: “There is something sad… about them [bandwallas]. Like refugees, they too came to this side of the border, and like me they too didn’t know what to do in life… they had the skill… the irony is that no one wants them otherwise. So, I have some affinity for them."
In a show of sculptures, ‘Alchemies of Form’, which she had curated earlier this year in Bikaner House, four of the artist’s sculptures, inspired by his bandwalla series were displayed. “His art leaves us with the feeling that the most important thing in life is grace," explains Nair. “He compels us to think." Take for instance, his works such as 1947 about the Partition or News of Gandhiji's Death (1950), Truckwallas (1970s), and Game (1970s). She finds 1947 a particularly poignant work. “Unlike his big canvases, this is a relatively smaller work but is a milestone of sorts. It makes us think of our history and the power of human emotions," adds Nair.
A chronicler of history
Having known Khanna for over 25 years, Dinesh Vazirani, CEO and co-founder, Saffronart, hails him not just as a timeless artist but also a wonderful mentor. “When we were starting Saffronart, selling art online was unheard of. I was nervous but he said, ‘You’re making a change and that takes a different conviction and different courage. It’ll be tough but don’t give up,’ and that stuck with me," he adds. The team is planning a private show of his works at the ITC Maurya, Delhi, where his iconic mural, The Great Procession, is part of the lobby.
Vazirani finds a whimsical side to some of Khanna’s art—he documents history with a twist of humour, emotion and sensitivity. The artist’s work is relatable due to the lived experiences that he brings to the canvas. Khanna has an innate gentleness and wit that reflects in his art as well. He remembers feeling overwhelmed on meeting the artist for the first time. However, Khanna made him feel comfortable instantly. He continues to be easy to talk to, and full of laughter and stories.
In the auction world, Khanna is hailed as a blue chip artist, simply for his storytelling ability. The last man standing in the Progressives group, he remains timeless as ever. “He’s a chronicler of history, and that’s why the value of his works appreciates in auctions," says Vazirani. “His work will bring out a range of emotions in you."
While it’s tough to talk about his favourites, Vazirani is fascinated with The Last Bite, Khanna’s take on the iconic The Last Supper in which he’s painted all his “band of brothers", with Husain at the head of the table personifying Christ.
Telling the stories of people on the margins
Ashish Anand,CEO & MD, DAG, continues to be intrigued by Khanna’s charm even after all these years. “Krishen Khanna is as wonderful in his personal interactions as he is in his artistic practice—his warmth is contagious," says Anand. DAG, in its previous publications and catalogues, has featured essays especially written by the artist about the Progressive Artists’ Group, his early days, the fight for freedom of artistic expression, and more. The artist’s biggest contribution, perhaps, lies in giving an agency to anonymous people on the streets and their respective occupations. “His representation has made them visible in public life, making Krishen a true chronicler of the poor, the downtrodden and the marginalised. Yet, they exude a sense of joie-de-vivre, or the joy of life, reflecting his own sunny persona," says Anand.
He continues to be amazed at Khanna’s razor sharp memory, and astounding ability to remember the minutest of details from events that happened back in time. “He has always been willing to be interviewed for our projects and, in fact, twice contributed his writings for our exhibitions—Continuum and Mumbai Modern—both based on the Progressives, of which he remains, at 100 years of age, the lone star."
An expert at colour
Enter the ITC Maurya in Delhi and you can’t miss the imposing ceiling that has one of India’s biggest murals on display. Titled, The Great Procession, it is an ode to the heritage of India, recreating the panelled dome of a Chaitya or a Buddhist hall of worship. Khanna was commissioned to work on it in the late 1970s, with the project taking four years to complete. “Painted onto the curved surface of the lobby dome, it brings together elements from the rich Mauryan past," says Amaan Kidwai, area manager, luxury hotels (North) and general manager, ITC.
Back in the day when the mural was in the works, it wasn’t unusual to see Khanna in the hotel for long stretches of time, absorbed in thought. Each of the works were assembled at his studio in Garhi, New Delhi, finally put together at the hotel.
You can’t help but feel a sense of awe in the way the artist has used colour and perspective in his composition. This remains, perhaps, one of the biggest artworks at any Indian hotel. According to Kidwai, the artist was instrumental in engaging several distinguished artists to contribute to the Mauryan-inspired theme of ITC Maurya. This, once again, is a pointer to how Khanna always supported his friends—as the first Rockefeller Fellow artist in the 1960s, he encouraged many other artists for the fellowship. “The celebration of his 100th birthday, with this timeless piece of art in view, is an honour for us," adds Kidwai.
Abhilasha Ojha is an independent art and culture writer.
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