The paintings were strong, disturbing, unforgettable – it was almost as if their iconic, controversial creator was right there in the room. Looking at those powerful images, I was reminded of an evening many years ago spent interviewing Francis Newton Souza in his rundown Manhattan apartment. Art was everywhere and not a spot to sit on, until he pointed to a big bundle of magazine covers with his bold penwork on it. Quite irreverently he commanded ‘Just sit on it!’ – and I did.
‘Painting without Paint: The Chemical Paintings of F.N. Souza’ was the show which recently unveiled rare works from the estate of the artist. Souza’s daughter Shelley, who heads the estate, had curated the exhibition along with artist Brigita Krasauskaite, and also written the essays in the exhibition catalogue. The opening reception at Peter Louis’ gallery, RL Fine Arts, in Manhattan proved a magnet for art lovers, collectors and connoisseurs because it was the first time ever that many of them were getting to see these works.
Collectors Rajiv and Payal Chaudhri, Shamina Talyarkhan, Lalitha and Satish Singla, Snigdha Aramalla, Umesh Gaur, Maria Elena along with Zara Porter Hill from Sotheby’s, Amin Jaffer, Malika Sagar-Advani, Ganieve Grewal of Christies, Anu Nanavati Chaddha of Saffronart, and French attaché Jerome Neutres were among many admiring the works. Some of the collectors had personally met the artist himself in the old days and had stories to share. After the reception, Peter Louis invited the art denizens on to the hip and happening restaurant Buddakan for an intimate dinner with Shelley Souza. There Rajiv Chaudhri raised a heartfelt toast to the artist and every single Souza devotee applauded.
(Painting Without Paint: The Chemical Paintings of FN Souza Exhibition presented by RL Fine Arts in association with the Estate of FN Souza All images copyright of the Estate of FN Souza)
(This exhibition was in 2007)
