30th March, 2002

The Souza enigma Francis Newton Souza, better known as F N Souza, breathed his last on Thursday at 9.30 pm at the Bacha Nursing Home following a massive heart attack. He was 78. The founder of the Progressive Artists' Group (in 1948), Souza was known as the enfant terrible, pathbreaker and genius. The artist's burial is at 11 am today. Born in Goa, he was known for his enigmatic personality, ability to articulate well and his errant behaviour. He was always someone who new best what he wanted to do and how. The rebel in him was born at a very young age. It was this fervour to think and do things differently that led to his expulsion from the J J School of Art as he participated in the Quit India Movement. In fact, he is regarded as the pioneer of modern Indian art.
MASTER TALK : F N Souza (centre) with friends
Dinesh Vazirani, Minal Vazirani and Rajeev Samant For several decades Souza made New York his home where he established himself as a successful painter even as he showed his works the world over. Today his paintings sell in the range of Rs 2 to 7 lakh. He believed, "An artist can't become, he is born. The artist is in the foetus; the creative principle begins in the womb. I remember painting murals on the walls of my mother's womb. That's a metaphor, of course, but it should give the art lover an idea of the artist's true origin." Souza led a very private life but close friends describe him to be an honest and human person who was misunderstood by society as he did not follow the rules. The fact that he married thrice and had three different families at different points in his life was never taken kindly.

An exhibition of his latest works was held in Mumbai in January this year after a successful showing of it in his hometown in Los Angeles in September 2001. Sadly there is no more of art to see from this exceptionally talented artist who was, as many feel, was given less importance than he deserved in his own country. 'He lived life on his terms' Though F N Souza was known to be quite brash at times, people at high respect for his ingenuity. Some of those who have known him closely, even from the days when he was addressed as Newton and not by his last name, share their views on the painter and his art. M F HUSAIN
Artist

Untitled: A detail of a mixed media on
canvas by F N Souza He was my mentor. I came into the art world because of him. He saw my exhibition in '47 and encouraged me. He is the most significant Indian painter, almost a genius. He was an intellectual and very knowledgeable about everything. He had a great personality but, unfortunately, people have not taken enough notice of him in India. I will miss him as an artist whom India should be proud of. GEETA MEHRA
Owner, Sakshi Gallery
His contribution has been enormous. He lived his life on his own terms, which one admires. He played an important part in the Progressive Artists'Group (PAG) and kept it together as long as he could. His art is filled with so much energy. It has a manic quality. He could be irreverent in his pictures and could be completely pious. He always wanted to shock people in the way he lived and painted. KEKOO GANDHY
Owner, Gallery Chemould
He was a loveable rascal. He could say something outrageous and get away with it. As a painter I bow to him. When I see art I respond to it by my heart and Souza did many works I responded to. One had to separate the ugly part in him from the painter. It was his power of language and cockiness that made his presence felt in Mumbai and it was because of him that the PAG got more prominence. SRIMATI LAL
Close friend, curator
He was our most cherished and beloved modern painter who never pandered to any social pantomime and always remained true to himself and his profound vision of contemporary art. MINAL VAZIRANI
Saffronart
He was an incredibly brilliant artist, person and writer. He was a talented human being. He is immortalised in his work, there is a lot of him in it. He would look at people and life in a perspective that one ordinarily would not. He was able to articulate his thoughts well. Souza's life in short Francis Newton Souza was born on April 12, 1924 in Saligaon, Goa. His mother brought him up as his father died when he was just three-months-old. He undertook training in art from 1940-45 at the J J School of Art, Mumbai. In 1948 he founded the Progressive Artists' Group whose members included S H Raza, M F Husain, Bakre, Gade and K H Ara. Souza left for London in 1949 to make his mark there. After some years of struggle his one-man show at Gallery One and the simultaneous publication of an autobiographical piece Nirvana of a Maggot in the magazine called Encounter brought him acclaim. Souza moved to New York in 1967 where he continued to live until the end. Souza was known for his erotic female nudes, landscapes and Christian themes that he presented in bold and innovative ways defying tradition and the routine. Last Supper was one his notable paintings John Berger, the renowned art critic had said about Souza's art: He straddles many traditions, but serves none.

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