If one is tempted to believe on present showing that Haridas opposes hierarchy in art, one only has to remember the times when he has expressed a very different view. When he held his widely unappreciated ‘All White Show’ a few years ago, his much-quoted retort to critics who panned it was, ‘An artist is not a truck painter to paint the same creepers and flowers year after year. That poor man needs to make a living. I need to experiment.’

When one points out the disparity between that earlier opinion and the one he affects now, the performing artist does an elaborate yawn behind an elegant hand and says, ‘Is there anything more boring than consistency? If we always think the same thoughts we will always do the same work. How tedious that would be.’

This puts a stop to all further questions except the inevitable last one. ‘What are you working on now?’

‘These days I spend time looking at Arun Kolatkar's collection of poems Bhijki Vahi.’

The answer has its desired effect. How can Kolatkar's wonderful collection be ‘looked’ at? Haridas is suddenly serious. ‘When you read Kolatkar's poems you see them. They are pictures. He paints in words. He creates powerful images. It is fascinating to see what he sees.’ Then, after a pause, he adds, ‘Best of all, the poems are full of fantastic women—Laila, Helen, Isis. Sheer bliss!’

Haridas laughs loudly, pleased at the twist he has given to an uncharacteristically serious answer. The people at the next table are preparing to leave. They cannot resist stopping at our table to look more closely at the horn.

‘That's how a work of art draws attention to itself.’ Haridas grins.

It must be admitted that it does. It is difficult to take one's eyes off the Haridas horn. Its shape, proportions, flamboyant colours, fibreglass lightness, and the very concept of mounting a truck horn in this fashion, are products of an artist's imagination. They extend our ideas of what a work of art is or can be.

9

Haridas toys with the idea of wearing a lungi to Feroze's place. Jeans squeeze you in. He has just bought himself a pair of Madras lungis for the hot months ahead. One is checked blue and yellow, the other green and maroon. Lungis are bliss in summer. Their only drawback is the freedom with which sweat can travel in rivulets down your thighs. At home you can wipe the sweat off with the lungi itself. You can’t do that in company. Women think you are making obscene gestures.