Islamabad: Mysticism Through Colors – a display of selected collection of Pakistan’s leading maestro Sadequain is serving as a treat of visual art to the youngsters and art lovers at National Art Gallery.
Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) has dedicated a gallery to the legendary artist to pay him tribute through promotion of his art with permanent display.
His mural paintings on Allama Iqbal and Ghalib’s poetry visualise the historical ideologies as art critics named the paintings as illustrations and interpretations that visualise many social issues.
The exhibition showcases Sadequain’s work at large scale to provide glimpses of his best works for the art lovers of twin cities. The comprehensive retrospect of his palette shows a confluence of the most extraordinary talent of the art and Urdu literature as the verses that Sadequain selected to illustrate, reveal various states of self realisation and consciousness.
As classical expressions of mystic vision, these pieces hold an inspiration to the path of enlightenment and guide through the gateway of spiritual freedom. Through his art, Sadequain seeks to share his observations, experiences and interpretations of the truth and his relationship to the world around him and beyond through the poetry of his choice.
Sadequain is known to have painted day and night all through his life and it is estimated that he painted over 15,000 pieces but did not keep an inventory and traces of most of his work do not exist.
Sadequain, who became a legend in his own lifetime created the illustrations of Ghalib during 1968, Faiz during the 1970s and 80s and of Iqbal during the 1980s. He was deeply interested in the issues that have challenged the best minds of the human race, the mysteries of the universe, meaning of life, role of human beings in the universe, freedom and self determination, survival and progress and the fine line.
The prolific painter and a poet of substantial standing who ruled the art scene for over five decades, created stunning large body of work like paintings, murals, sketches, drawings, calligraphies and composed and illustrated his “Rubaiyaat”.
His large murals earned him worldwide respect and admiration while he was awarded “Tamgha-e-Imtiaz” at the age of thirty followed by “Laureate Biennale de Paris”, President’s Medal for “Pride of Performance”, “Sitara-e-Imtiaz” Quaid-e-Azam Award and International Gold Mercury Award.
The rich collection celebrates and acknowledges the contributions of Sadequain for keeping alive the art scenes since he expired in 1987.
The display features 13 murals on Iqbal’s poetry, visual references from two of his monumental Murals, 12 illustrations and oil on canvas on Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poetry.
“The exhibition is an attempt to keep alive the legacy, celebrate the efforts of the legendary artist in a befitting manner and let the people know about the rich cultural heritage and contributions of the masters of the field for keeping alive our heritage,” said Mussarrat Naheed Imam, Director Visual Arts, PNCA while talking to APP.
These large sized murals serve as the major attraction for the art lovers, art students and general visitors while many take these paintings as a source of inspiration for them, she said.
