Foy Nissen: Custodian of city's heritage passes away

Last morning the city bid adieu to one of her beloveds Foy Nissen a notable name in Mumbais cultural landscape passed away at 88 Formerly the British Councils representative in Mumbai in the 1970s Nissen far exceeded his capacity as a cultural activity officer earning a name as a friend of the arts and a custodian of Mumbais architectural heritagePuneborn Nissen studied the liberal arts at Christs College Cambridge in the 1950s His father held a high position as a government servant in Mumbai while his mother was principal of the middle school at the Cathedral and John Connon School FortLater on Nissen came to be known as a city historian and became an advisor for the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage INTACH in 1984 He created the first list of 90 buildings at the beginning of the heritage listing that today protects several architectural masterpieces in the cityFoy Nissen was laid to rest at the Sewri Cemetery on Monday PicBipin KokateFew like himNoted conservation architect Vikas Dilawari who considers Nissen his mentor says Nissens connection with the British Council meant he was fortunate to meet people associated with culture He recalls how Nissen would scout the city on his Lambretta getting to know it so intimately that he was sought out by visiting academicians artists and historiansHe took extra pains to show Mumbai to visitors This was at a time when the concept of scholarly guides was missing there were few who spoke so extensively about Mumbais architecture He was the Internet of his time says DilawariHis knowledge of the city was so vast that his contribution is acknowledged in several tomes documenting Mumbais history such as Christopher Londons Bombay Gothic His home at Olympus Apartments Altamount Road played host to scholars and artists from India and abroad becoming quite the adda of intellectualsEye for detailIt was as a postgraduate student that Dilawari first encountered Nissens fascination with Mumbai Since then Dilawari followed up on several suggestions made by the veteran Bombay expert on restoration projects He admires Nissens eye for detail and the demand for finesse mdash all of which were employed in projects such as the restoration of the Dr Bhau Daji Lad BDL MuseumTasneem Zakaria Mehta managing trustee and honorary director of BDL says he was a familiar face at the many art openings in the city until he took ill in his later years His friendship with Sir Howard Hodgkin the late British superstar painter known for his abstract work is legendary It is one that is made iconic in Hodgkins Foy Nissens Bombay executed between 1975 and 1977Battled AlzheimersIn his sunset years when he battled Alzheimers Nissen was taken care of by sisters Mona and Manju Mehra his neighbours He played the flute and collected a vast number of books mdash of which we have 4000 We have already placed some at the J N Petit Library and hope the rest will find good hands says MonaThe Mehra sisters say that Nissens other pastime was tracing family trees and histories His own in fact was quite unique While he looked obviously English he was of Danish descent But he and his family were naturalised Indians In memoriam the sisters have compiled a book on Nissen recording his knowledge of Mumbai and paying homage to his strength as an artistBehind the cameraAmong his many interests Nissen also took to the camera creating some remarkable monochrome photographs some of which were shown in 1982 as part of The Other India seven contemporary photographers in Oxford at the Museum of Modern Art In fact now Olympus foyer has been turned into a gallery of sorts with Nissens photographsHis photographs often juxtaposed the common Mumbai person against its monuments He looked past the citys faults and its poverty He showed the real sights and sounds of Mumbai unapologetically says Manju On that subject Dilawari notes that Nissens New Years Eve ritual was to capture on camera the tradition of revellers burning Old Man effigies across the cityIn quiet reposeOne of Nissens mostfrequented haunts in Mumbai was the Banganga tank which he ardently showed off to his visiting friends However it found close competition from the Sewri cemetery Nissen assisted the British Cemetery Association and would look into the maintenance of the gravesWhen the English and Scots turned to him for a city tour says Manju he would usher them to Sewri Cemetery to trace their buried ancestors and their family trees And now Nissen the original Bombaywallah joins their company there in quiet repose becoming one with this city that he so cherishedCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates