F.N. Souza, modern Indian art’s “Enfant Terrible,” was bold, volatile, and unflinching in his critique of the world. Yet beyond this label lay a doting father and an artist shaped as much by love and loss as by resistance and rebellion.Dhoomimal Gallery, with research by Prinseps, is delighted to present the exhibition F.N. Souza: A Continuum, opening on 25th March, 2025 at 6PM at the host gallery. This exhibition offers an intimate portrait of an artist often defined by sharp lines, exploring not just how he painted, but why—along with the influences that shaped his artistic vision.At the heart of this exhibition is his relationship with Liselotte Souza, a Czech-Jewish actress he met in London in 1954. Their partnership—both deeply personal and intellectual—coincided with one of the most successful decades of his career. Through Liselotte, Souza entered new artistic, literary, and theatrical circles, expanding his creative vision in ways that would leave a lasting mark on his work.In the words of Uday Jain, Director of Dhoomimal Gallery, “Together with Prinseps we are thrilled to present F.N. Souza: A Continuum that will not only show Souza’s techniques and methods but also his artistic journey.”Beyond his artistic explorations, this exhibition sheds light on a more intimate facet of Souza’s legacy—his role as a father. Archival materials, including letters, a rare voice recording and video snippets, reveal moments of warmth and tenderness, offering a poignant contrast to his rebellious public persona.Alongside Souza’s works, the exhibition explores his enduring family legacy through the art of Keren SouzaKohn, daughter of Liselotte and F.N. Souza, her son Solomon Souza, and her nephew Ruben Souza; each carrying forward aspects of Souza’s vision in their own way.This exhibition unveils Souza’s many layers—the iconoclast, the lover, the father, and the writer—through personal recollections and creative influences. From Goa’s red roads to the far reaches of the world, his journey was one of constant evolution, shaped by the lands he inhabited, the loves he embraced, and the fusion of his personal and artistic worlds.Event DetailsExhibition Preview: March 25, 2025Exhibition Time: 6 PMExhibition Venue: Dhoomimal Gallery, G-42, Connaught Circus, New Delhi-110001Souza’s Artistic Journey: Even before meeting Liselotte, Souza had been profoundly struck by the art and personality of Picasso, whom he met in Paris in 1951—a moment he described as a defining encounter. Picasso’s radical reinvention of form and perspective resonated deeply with Souza, who would later channel this influence in Young Ladies from Belsize Park (1962), an area he also lived in with Liselotte. The painting recalls the compositional structure of Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907), itself rooted in Picasso’s engagement with African tribal masks. This lineage of influence extended to Souza, who incorporated similar elements into his work—fragmented bodies, exaggerated facial features, and multiple eyes—distilling their raw energy into a bold, contemporary visual language. Souza’s other work Head of a Man, 1958 also reflects the influence.Souza’s work also reflected his inner world, particularly his existential concerns. His years with Liselotte intensified his engagement with themes of alienation, displacement, and transformation. Their shared sense of dislocation—she, a refugee from Prague; he, an outsider in post-war Britain—found expression in his writings and paintings. Kafka’s The Metamorphosis (1915) resonated deeply with Souza, who described his origins as “a maggot on a dung heap,” mirroring the novel’s protagonist’s unsettling transformation. This preoccupation with identity and exile grew more pronounced in works like Nude Metamorphosed Into Insect (1957). His early exposure to Bombay’s Jewish artistic circles—including Walter Langhammer, Emmanuel Schlesinger, and Rudy Von Leyden—further shaped his artistic and intellectual development.The landscapes of his work also shifted—from the red roads of Goa’s Saligao to the streets of Hampstead and Belsize Park, where he lived with Liselotte. His urban settings took on an almost apocalyptic quality, interpreted by some as reflections of Cold War anxieties and by others as deeply personal expressions of restlessness and change.Despite his engagement with European modernism, Souza remained deeply rooted in Indian artistic traditions. Expelled from school for drawing explicit anatomical sketches, he was always drawn to both the erotic and the sacred. Untitled (Mithuna Couple / Puri Temple Lovers) is one such example of his exemplary works. Inspired by the sculptural motifs of Khajuraho and South Indian bronzes, his 1984 rendition of a lost Mithuna sculpture from a 12th-century Puri temple reflects his dual role as an innovator and cultural preserver.
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