The Greatest (from the SPOrTLIGHT series)
2002
38 x 53cm (15 x 21in)
Poster colour and gouache on paper
Artist: Rabindra K.D. Kaur Singh

Known as ‘The King’ this portrait of boxer Muhammad Ali is painted accordingly in the conventional style used for depicting royalty within the Mughal School of the Indian Miniature Tradition.

In particular it has been inspired by two very similar allegorical portraits of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir (r.1605 - 1627) - one of which is reproduced above - and combines features from each whilst at the same time remaining faithful to the general composition shared by both in terms of the poses and placement of figures and objects. However, the symbols used in the originals have either been modified slightly or replaced completely by alternatives whose meanings are more appropriate and relevant to the new context which expresses something of the life, personality and achievements of Ali.

In terms of the latter this portrait is not so much a tribute to Ali’s boxing achievements as the World, Heavyweight Champion, but, more a tribute to how he used the platform provided by that achievement to become the “Peoples’ Champion” in fighting against political and social injustice. For,

“When he was the most famous man in the world Ali took his fights beyond Sports onto the world stage”.

His fights in the boxing ring became a metaphor for not only his personal fight for freedom from “slavery” and respect, but for the freedom and equal rights of Black people everywhere who because of the history of slavery continued to suffer poverty, prejudice, injustice and racism at the hands of the “white man”.

Hence, with the broken shackles of slavery hanging from his wrists and lying at his feet, Ali is depicted standing on top of the world which rests on the canvas of a boxing ring. (The Continent of Africa is significantly prominent as a representation of the race he identifies with and for whose equality he fights for). From this ‘platform’ he defiantly attacks the symbols of American political and social injustice, prejudice and racism which can be seen impaled on a spear opposite. These include a Golden Eagle, clutching the Stars and Stripes and an emblem of the star sign Virgo (symbol of discrimination) in its claws, and the severed, hooded, head of a member of the Klu Klux Klan. Like Jahangir, Ali’s weapon is the bow and arrow. Traditionally a symbol of war, power and the ability to hit a target the bow itself proves to be a suitable weapon for Ali on both a literal and metaphoric level and has, therefore, been adopted wholesale from the original miniature. Meanwhile, Ali’s ‘arrows’ take on a different form to those used by the Mughal emperor. Transformed into fountain pens these have become a symbolic representation of the weapon with which the boxer fights his ‘enemies’ - namely, his outspoken words and poetic writings.

When he refused to fight in the Vietnam War on religious grounds Ali was stripped of his world title and suffered an unjust imprisonment that deprived him of his best fighting years at the peak of his career - in short he gave up everything for the sake of his religious believes as a Muslim. This lack of importance that Ali ultimately gave to a sport in which he excelled is reflected by the minute size of the boxing ring itself which is almost lost in the composition.

Supporting the boxing ring we see the "beast of burden”, a camel. As a symbol of humility and the obedient servant this points to Ali’s belief that his “job” is to “work for God” and spread the message of the Black Muslim Faith as a “servant of that message”. The camel stands on an island of rock. This alludes to the firm foundations, i.e. strength of conviction and integrity on which Ali’s character is built and which have given him the courage to stand up for what he believed in. The island also symbolises that, as a sporting legend, Ali stands alone in a category of his own.

Ali quotes Allah as “the number one reason for [his] success”. In this respect he, just like Jahangir, is seen being aided by two cherubs from the heavens above. However, whilst both of Jahangir’s helpers are white one of Ali’s is portrayed as Black. The latter provides Ali with his ‘arrows’. Notably, two of these, form the shape of an ‘X’ - a reference to the boxer’s close association with Malcolm X who introduced him to the Black Muslim Faith that Ali embraced and preached on behalf of. Meanwhile, the white cherub showers Ali with red roses. Representing the blood of the Prophet Mohammed in Islamic symbolism and also, Truth and Allah these similarly point to the source from which Ali gained (and continues to gain) strength in order to meet life’s challenges both inside and outside the ring.

On the ground beneath the shower of roses a cockerel stands crowing. This serves as a reference to Ali’s conversion to Islam which (to paraphrase) he once described as “being like a sudden awakening from darkness into light at the sound of the cock’s crow”. (This in itself is an analogy for the mind moving from a state of ignorance to a state of knowledge/Truth).

On a lighter note the inclusion of a butterfly and a bee within the composition allude to one of Ali’s most famous sayings. Furthermore, these insects could also be said to appropriately reflect the boxer’s private and public faces - i.e. the peace loving, quietly spoken, gentle, man on the one hand and the no-nonsense, hard hitting, sharp-witted boaster on the other.

Around the border of the painting are inscribed a selection of quotes from the boxer himself. These provided particular inspiration for the focus of the portrait and offer a key to interpreting the visual symbolic language employed within the inner composition.

Ali is often hailed as the greatest sporting legend of all time but what this portrait seeks to express more than anything else is that his greatness goes far beyond the realms of sport. He has been described not just as “one of the Gods of the ring” but also as a “warrior”, “a preacher”, and even “a prophet” (symbolised by the halo around his head). It is often said that the true measure of a man’s greatness lies not in his physical strength but his inner strength of character and as one writer puts it:

“The bottom line is that Muhammad Ali has always stood for what is right”.

It is surely for this reason above all others that he has gained the respect and admiration of millions.

 

copyright the artists