F.N. Souza's 1966 Interview on Poverty, Alcoholism, and British Art World Exclusion
In a 1966 interview with Arts Review, artist F.N. Souza reflects on his transition from a life of poverty to one marked by controversy following his arrival in Britain in 1949. After enduring six years of struggle, he achieved a sell-out exhibition at Victor Musgrave's Gallery One in 1955. Souza confronted alcoholism, spending £10,000 across different cities before overcoming it in 1960. He criticizes the British art scene for its 'native jealousy' and recounts architect Basil Spence's insight about Coventry Cathedral officials excluding Jacob Epstein due to his Jewish heritage. He also describes his difficult interactions with Tate director John Rothenstein and Bryan Robertson of the Whitechapel Gallery. In 1965, Souza, a founding member of the Bombay Progressive Artists' Group, married a 17-year-old after his divorce in 1964, emphasizing his desire for independence from artistic circles.
Key facts
- F.N. Souza was interviewed in May 1966 while living in London before moving to New York.
- He arrived in Britain in 1949 and lived in poverty for six years until his 1955 sell-out show at Gallery One.
- Souza battled alcoholism, spending £10,000 on drink across multiple cities until quitting in 1960.
- He criticizes the British art establishment for excluding him due to 'native jealousy,' despite his Tate acquisition and Guggenheim Award recognition.
- Souza mentions Coventry Cathedral officials tried to exclude Jacob Epstein because he was Jewish.
- His relationships with John Rothenstein and Bryan Robertson soured after encounters at nightclubs.
- He quotes critic Jerome Stolnitz to accuse London critics of 'vulgarity' and highlights inconsistencies in John Russell's reviews.
- Souza describes himself as a 'compulsive painter' whose style evolves naturally, not searching for an 'ideal' form.
Entities
Artists
- F.N. Souza
- Jacob Epstein
- Jackson Pollock
- Michelangelo
- Clement Greenberg
Institutions
- Bombay Progressive Artists' Group
- Gallery One
- Tate
- Whitechapel Gallery
- Guggenheim Award
- Contemporary Art Society
- John Moores Exhibition
- Peter Stuyvesant Foundation
- British Council
- Marlborough
- Arts Review
- Sunday Times
- Daily Telegraph
- New Statesman
- Observer
- Alcoholics Anonymous
Locations
- London
- Britain
- New York
- Paris
- Majorca
- Rome
- Bombay
- India
- Mexico
- Coventry
- Hungary
- Poland