I am afraid that the news in the art world is revolving around only one subject these days. M F Husain has managed to capture everyone’s full attention and artists can be seen getting into huddles to discuss the unbelievable aspect of Husain no longer being an Indian citizen.

Everyone is talking about M F Husain having accepted citizenship of Qatar and indeed, so they sho­uld. To think that one of our most reputed artists had to take refuge in another country because he felt unsafe in his own is worrisome. There are many who should hang their heads in shame that such a situation arose. The blame game is on these days and I can just imagine Husain chuckling to himself over this.

There are now TV shows on this subject and heated discussions on Husain and his reasons for staying away from India. I am happy to note that senior artists such as Vivan Sundaram and art critic and writer

S Kalidas, have taken his side. We need many more of their kind to stand up for him instead of talking about the gains that he is likely to make by living in Qatar.

I was also pleased to read that Gallery Rasa, in Kolkata had seen it fit to promote Husain’s graphic art around the same time as his citizenship issue came up. I remember years ago, when Gallery Today had published a set of his prints at their splendid gallery in Connaught Place, they were sold in record time to all those who held the artist in high esteem and had hankered for one of the master’s works. I suspect Gallery Rasa will also make a killing on the prints that it has decided to exhibit at this opportune moment.

One can, in fact, now expect the prices of Husain’s works to soar — if not immediately, certainly within the next six months. All those who own original Husains will now guard their works with even more zealous diligence and pray that the next auctions see a greater rise in the prices of his works. Perhaps, the next Saffron Art auction, which is slated around the middle of March, might be a good time to gauge the mood of buyers and collectors.

On the question of the quality of Husain’s future works, I would say that neither will there be a drop in his output nor will there be any lessening of quality. Husain has always been a prolific painter and we can anticipate that he will continue to turn out works that only he can do. It has been said that Husain has been asked to paint a series of 100 works on the Arab Civilisation and one wonders how he will address this project. Despite having reached the ripe old age of 95, Husain appears to be as spry as ever and I have no doubt that he will do a commendable job of whatever he takes up.

As a senior citizen myself, I am disturbed to find that no one talks about the saddest part of this whole episode. Everyone talks about the monetary gains that Husain is likely to make in the future without considering his age. An artist for whom all things Indian were his canvas, no matter how many lucrative assignments he might have up his sleeve, nothing will be able to compensate for his having to spend his last days away from the land of his birth.

The writer is a painter and has won numerous advertising design awards