BHUPEN KHAKHAR AND THE INDIAN URBAN NARRATIVE: REFRAMING URBAN AWARENESS AND AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL QUEERNESS

Abstract [English]

Bhupen Khakhar is one of the modern Indian artists born in 1934 who passed away in 2003, who changed the subject of painting. His identity is important not only because he painted differently, but also because he gave space in his paintings to subjects the art world did not pay as much attention to before. He made them part of the painting, including everyday city life, middle-class life, man's personal feelings, and gay identity. It is the great strength of his art that he brings these things to the fore with very direct, clear and human sensibility. At a time when it was not easy to openly talk about homosexuality in Indian society, Khakhar's art gave a visual look to such personal experiences, which were generally kept hidden. His paintings suggest that personal life, desire, loneliness and social discomfort can also be serious subjects of art.
Nevertheless, while writing about them, sometimes some things are said more exaggeratedly. For example, to say that only he gave a new understanding of the Indian city, or that he was the most compassionate artist of his time, may seem one-sided without much historical context. That is why this paper neither underestimates Khakhar nor raises it very high without questioning. Its effort is to understand where their real importance is. The main argument of this article is that Khakhar's greatest achievement was linking urban life, autobiographical experience, and queer identity. His paintings do not just show the city; they make it a living, emotional place where everyday habits, social pressure, loneliness, desire, and intimacy coexist. The study also saw Khakhar with other artists to understand that he was part of a major change in Indian art after independence. Despite this, his voice is very different, personal and remembered in his place. His art honours ordinary life and gives a place to the private man in public painting. Issues such as compassion, sexuality, and public reaction have also been revisited in this article.