sadequain - 3 articles
#1420 sadequain
on July 2, 2003 8:32pm PT
Rediscovering Sadequain in the West
Farhana Rizvi, Rosemead, CA
Effective communication is the hallmark of a high level of human civilization and culture. Language, words, signs, gestures, sounds, and colors are the tools used to convey the message. As spoken written words such as prose or poetry are classified as literature, fine arts is collectively composed of signs, sounds, colors, and gestures such as dance, music, sculpture, and painting. The levels of achievement in the field of literature and arts are regarded as the indicators of the level of social and cultural advancement of any society. Those who create literature and arts are respected and treated as national assets in a civilize society, and their creations vis-à-vis literature, artworks, and artifacts are regarded as the most valuable assets of a nation. They are preserved and treasured in the society for the education and the inspiration for future generations.
After my successful attempt to introduce Pakistan’s art legend-Sadequain to my undergraduate art class in an assignment here, I was so encouraged that I decided to pursue my master’s thesis in Arts Education by introducing Sadequain and his artworks in the field of Western Arts Education. The reason for this endeavor is that world renowned Sadequain has not been introduced in the Western Arts Education so far.
I want to assess Sadequain’s contribution towards the art world from a historical perspective and his enormous thematic artwork that is extensively spread over the Indo-Pakistan sub-continent, Middle East, and Europe.
Sadequain was a multi-dimensional artist, who painted superbly in a variety of forms, media and textures. I felt that his works contain a vision of realism, depicting a world surrounded by suffering and crying for justice and a better life. Those who consider fine arts only as a means of providing relaxation and sensual pleasure may not find Sadequain’s art much to their liking since it is largely conceptual and thematic, dealing with material which attempts to motivate people for improving social conditions and achieving human excellence.
Most of his works decorate the walls and roofs of famous educational institutions, public museums, and other public places in addition to private collections. His selection of educational institutions and public places for displaying his art explains Sadequain’s motto that art should not be confined to the homes of the rich because he thinks that it is a media to educate the people, motivating them for creating a more constructive and humane society. As an artist, a student of art, and art education, I have acquired great respect for Sadequain.
I decided to go to Pakistan earlier this year in pursuit of my thesis, to personally view his numerous artworks, and to get acquainted with his peers to better understand the enormous status of Sadequain in the world of art.
When in Pakistan, I was excited and believed that within weeks I’ll know every thing but I got shocked again that the artist who overwhelmed the people with sheer volume of his work has no catalog in the art gallery named after him, nor in the Karachi Art Council, Lahore Museum, or in Karachi’s Frere Hall.
I tried so hard to document his artwork and even hired professional photographers in Lahore and in Karachi for the job. They charged so much money and did the worst job that I could have never imagined, and am very much disappointed that I do not have a reasonably good documentation. The video and still pictures that I managed to get of his paintings on the ceiling of Lahore Museum, the mural of Mangla Dam, and the ceiling of Frere Hall are in fragments and pieces, which do not make much sense. One can feel my disappointment and frustration realizing that it had taken me days to get the permission from the authorities, travel hassle, plus good sum of money spent on this documentation.
I had some additional frustrations in store for me. I saw Sadequain’s one mural in the Liaquat Hall, Rawalpindi in the worst possible condition; the mural is kept in the garage and the diesel van belonging to the theater was parked in there. I was surprised that instead of the theater the mural is in the garage. In the State Bank, Karachi one mural was kept disassembled in the bank’s museum while the ground floor murals needed repairs. I think with a little amount of money these murals can be fixed, and if the bank has no place for some murals they should be donated to any museum or art gallery. In Karachi’s Frere Hall, the calligraphy on marble slabs are being kept in poor condition, covered with dust with their color fading. One mural in the new campus of Lahore University library was fully covered with black cloth. No one could explain to me as to why it was so. I am frustrated because we are so careless in preserving our cultural treasures.
There were no dimensions mentioned any where in any city on Sadequain’s artworks, it was not the job of the artist to place the caption on every peace. This is the job of the gallery to do. As a visitor I was neither equipped nor had the facility to measure these huge and monumental art works. There was no curator or gallery facilitator in the museums and galleries except the directors or other high officials, not easily accessible to answer questions because of their busy schedules. Still I am trying so hard to do my job as efficiently as possible but if any one can help me in this matter I would really appreciate it.
It will be unfair if I fail to mention that most of the officers, authorities in museums, art galleries and places where Sadequain’s artwork was on display, helped me as much as they could. Most of the authorities and officers in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, and Mangla were very cooperative and helpful to me and without their help my visit would have been a failure. I am thankful to them all. I am especially thankful to the family and friends of Sadequain who briefed me a lot on him and his art, and in mitigating my frustrations and disappointments by explaining the limitations. I will acknowledge the help of all the people in my thesis so please forgive me this time I have no intentions to forget anyone. There were many private art collectors I wanted to get in touch with but could not.
I emailed my appeal to Dawn newspaper but it was not published for reasons that I am not aware of. Through Pakistan Link I am requesting all those people in Pakistan, the United States, or anywhere else to please let me know if they have any photo, artwork, essay or brochure on Sadequain to enrich my thesis and make it worthy of the greatest artist. I will be greatly thankful to anyone who can help me in anyway possible to introduce this rare Pakistani treasure to Western Art Education, which could help our Pakistani-American young generation to be proud of their rich art heritage. You can reach me at the following email addresses: farhana@workmail.com, farhana110@yahoo.com, or write me at this address: POBOX 1875 ROSEMEAD, CA, 91770.
#1417 sadequain
on July 2, 2003 8:32pm PT
Caligrapher-Artist: Sadequain (1930-1987)
Researched by Rashda Faridi
One of Pakistan’s outstanding artists of distinctive vision developed his own abstract art form in the desert environment of Sindh. Sadequain was a rebel whose paintings are tortuous in their imagery, reflecting his personal psychosis in a thoroughly modern idiom. His paintings give an overpowering effect and his first murals were exhibited at the Karachi airport, Jinnah hospital and the State Bank of Pakistan. His last unfinished work was the mural intended to cover the ceiling of Frere Hall, which is now named as Sadequain’s Gallery.
As a child Sadequain was known in his neighborhood for sketching on sun backed clay and white washed walls of the houses he passed on his way to school. He made pictures in the soil, and rubbed them out to begin anew. In 1947, he came to Pakistan from Amroha, a town 15 miles from Bachhraon in India. He settled in Karachi and made friends with the Bengali painter Sultan. The two artists were often seen sitting in teashops, sketching the passers-by. In the late 1950’s, in need of rest and solitude, Sadequain headed for Gadani where a friend had offered him a simple hut. Here the cactus bushes bathed in moonlight fascinated him. His kitchen wall became a convenient canvas, transformed by the artist’s fingers into a mural. In Gadani, Sadequain synthesized his fascination for calligraphy, his penchant for harsh landscapes and his conviction that life is a struggle.
Calligraphy has been the essence of Sadequain’s work. He often stated that it was in his blood. The spiky length of cactus took on the attire of Kufic script. His entire aesthetic life was directed by the Gadani visit. Speaking of cactus he once said, "I only painted cactus in black, dark red and grey. I painted them without any intention of painting them. And at last in the anatomy of these gigantic plants, I found the essence of calligraphy. Everything I have painted since then... has been based on calligraphy, which in itself issues from the structure of cactus".
The National Art Gallery at Islamabad has been holding an exhibition of Sadequain’s paintings since 1980. Sotheby’s of London sold his paintings at Samuel Baker’s 258-year-old auction house for 6,000 pounds. And another painting ‘Europa and the Bull’ was sold for 1,800 pounds. Sotheby’s believes that Pakistani art is now ready for exposure to the West.
#1418 sadequain
on July 2, 2003 8:32pm PT
art
Sadequain for all
By Quddus Mirza
The immense popularity of Sadequain and the acceptance of his art was due to him evolving a form of expression that the majority of population can associate and relate with
To charge a hundred rupees for entrance to an exhibition seems incredible in a country where even the doctors are pestered to reduce their rates -- and life-saving drugs are sought on a discount price (if not free). But the public -- contrary to all assumptions -- paid the ticket and is still paying to go and see the work of Sadequain at the Mohatta Palace in Karachi.
Why is Sadequain so popular? Compared to other artists of the country, Sadequain enjoys a special place. His work is seen and appreciated by all sections of people in Pakistan.
The reason for this probably is connected to the structure of language. Here, like many other post-colonial nations, there is a divide between the national language and the one imported by the colonial rule. It would be needless to go into the details about its effect in the society, and how this separation has evolved into a system of privileges as anyone reading this article (printed in an English newspaper of Pakistan!) must be aware of this situation.
The linguistic condition, which exists in the society, mostly in its educational institutes, repeats in the realm of art as well. In this arena, the clash of languages operates in a decisive, yet not so obvious manner. Though it is believed that art has a universal vocabulary, Pakistani art in fact mainly revolves around English. Its teaching, discourse, documentation and its criticism are all done in English -- which a very limited number of literate population (again not a large figure either) can comprehend.
The artists of the country are strangely placed in this situation. Most of them have the background of training in Urdu, but once they achieve a level of success in the domain of visual art, they transform themselves. They adopt English for their expressions on art since the gallery owners, academics, patrons, buyers and critics all converse in this tongue. Any utterance in this medium is regarded synonymous to quality, and to be well-versed in English shows that the artist is aesthetically in tune with the international world.
Due to the limitation of the language in our society, many artists find themselves alienated from the general public. However, Sadequain appeared distinct from this crowd. Maybe because (not an abhorring feature as believed by many idealist painters and sculptors around us) he was an outsider to the group of established artists of country. And it is not astonishing, that during his lifetime, he was perceived to be merely a showman by the artists and art teachers. He was blamed for enjoying patronage of the government and after his calligraphic period, was accused of being a subservient of the Zia regime. Although his presence could not be avoided, he was not really acknowledged or welcomed in the art institutions at the time.
By adhering to the tradition via language, Sadequain made himself the most accessible and approachable painter. It is due to the usage of poetic themes from Urdu language and the manner of employing the narrative elements in his paintings that his work is widely understood and appreciated here. It is, therefore, not unusual that an ordinary viewer feels closer to Sadequain than any other artist (not even Chughtai or Allah Bux, who with all their comprehensible art were still exclusive painters).
Sadequain's art has a close link with the language, perhaps the closest of all. Beginning with the earlier imagery that was constructed as Kufic script to his figurative works and calligraphy, all reveal the linkage to the language of people. Most of his figurative work can be classified as narrative art.
There is another streak of narrative art in fashion these days which subscribes to the western influences of naive art or Indian examples of promoting primitive imagery. Instead of this superficial 'sublime' and contrived narrative art, Sadequain offered the obvious meanings through his canvases, to the ordinary spectators. Several of his paintings were even conceived on specific verses by Ghalib and Iqbal. For example, the hands carrying decapitated heads, men walking near gallows, a man facing the blazing sun, figure of an artist painted as the fasting Buddha and all the other such visuals from the popular Urdu poetry depicted the illustrative mood. In many ways, those paintings became visual equivalent to verses.
In addition to that, the constant poetic themes such as man being in an eternally miserable state and exposed to all kinds of inner and external tyrannies were recurring motifs on his murals as well as in his oil paintings. One factor about Sadequain making a connection between poetry and visual art is the fact that he himself was a practicing poet, acquiring Sadaq as takhallus or nom de plume for his earlier writings. Many collections of quartets by him were published later in his life.
This fascination with the language manifested in another form in his art, as calligraphy. The early interest of Sadequain in the art of scribing, his fondness for writing poetry, and perhaps the support and patronage from rulers, may have all contributed in his shift in the last years of his creative life.
But it can have another explanation: that is related to the artist and his audience. The art in our surrounding produced through training at art schools has always survived as an exclusive activity, limited to a minority. Sadequain was an artist neither educated at the art schools nor attached to the art circle (which is a closed circle in its literal sense), and through out remained an aloof personality. So in an attempt to bridge his solitude, he sought the kind of art with maximum popular appeal -- calligraphy was chosen as a right genre to achieve this goal. (As it is not a secret that religion is often used in our environment for getting the public support. The term like Islamic Socialism is one of those examples from the political history of our country).
The immense popularity of Sadequain and the acceptance of his art was all due to his evolving a form of expression that the majority of Pakistani population can associate and relate with. Thus it does not come as a surprise that only the work of Sadequain, especially his calligraphic pieces, are reproduced on facades of humble houses and in small shops situated far from the art world.
#1419 sadequain
on July 2, 2003 8:32pm PT
Our holy sinner
The painting exhibition of Sadequain, which opened in March at Mohatta Palace is one of the most comprehensive shows of its kind to have been curated in Pakistan
By Muna Siddiqui
Walking through the impressive hallways of Mohatta Palace, one cannot help but feel a sense of time lost. The palace's painted ceilings that tower high and its magnificently tiled floors belong to a time left far behind, a snapshot of the splendours of the past. And at this sublime venue, the paintings of the most treasured artist of Pakistan, Sadequain, have been brought together.
The exhibition, which opened in March and will continue till the end of July, is one of the most comprehensive shows of its kind to have been curated in Pakistan.
I arrived at the Mohatta Palace almost at closing time but the caretakers graciously unlocked the doors to let me view the exhibition. A solitary passage through the hallways lined with the large paintings of Sadequain is an awe-inspiring experience for any individual. The exhibition walks you through the creative life of Sadequain, which is astoundingly prolific. Sadequain's presence emerges as a spindly giant with knobby hands whose thirst for creation and knowledge was unquenchable. From the first gallery which displays the artist's early works which are experimental in technique and style to his absolute burst of creativity in the late '60s the exhibition presents a sensitive, creative and thinking man.
Much has been written about Sadequain and his genius. His paintings are not only testament to his creative prowess but they are also a window to the artist's soul. The exhibition reflects the ambition of the artist, his constant quest to know more and then to incorporate his being into his paintings. Sadequain's art is entirely a reflection of himself and comes through with honesty and purity so much so that there is no need to make comparisons of his style with any other artist either in this country or abroad. The artist may have been influenced by the cubist style or may have drawn inspiration from Indian mythological icons but he emerged with a style that was uniquely Sadequain. The strength and consistency of his personal brushstroke or line is present in every single painting or sketch in the exhibition.
Born in 1930, in Amroha India, Sadequain was the son of a scribe of the Quran. In his youth he worked as a copyist for All India Radio. Before his move to Pakistan after the partition he painted anti-British and pro-Pakistan slogans on walls and earned a part-time living drawing maps and illustrating textbooks. Apparently he could draw the map of any part of the world blindfolded. From this experience of the written word and his command of the drawn line emerged Sadequain's linear drawings. These later included the cactus motifs that added the linear dimension to much of his work.
Sadequain's acute sense of design allowed him to deftly use the line to fill space. In some cases he scratched out linear patterns to build the texture of his work. Apart from a few paintings he seemed to fill space more with line than colour. His love of the line is apparent in many sketches he produced and led him to become one of the first artists in Pakistan to experiment with calligraphy as an art form.
We all know Sadequain for the magnificent murals he created. Each one more ambitious than the next; the murals are present in public places like the Punjab Public Library in Lahore and the ceiling of Frere Hall in Karachi, which was a work in progress when his life tragically ended. The exhibition includes some of the artist's murals including one commissioned by the State Bank of Pakistan titled 'The Treasures of Time' which celebrates the intellectual achievements of man and highlights 46 major figures from history. The painting includes himself among the likes of Iqbal, Einstein, Tagore and Descartes.
An exhibition to remember, titled 'The Holy Sinner', is one of the most impressive exhibitions chronicling the life of an artist that I have seen in Pakistan. It is coupled with a pamphlet that walks you through the exhibition and each of the artist's works. The paintings are titled, dated and measured. The exhibition halls have been prepared and lit according to the works. Hameed Haroon and Salima Hashmi should be congratulated for putting together an exhibition that truly celebrates the life and the work of a genius called Sadequain.
on July 2, 2003 8:32pm PT
Rediscovering Sadequain in the West
Farhana Rizvi, Rosemead, CA
Effective communication is the hallmark of a high level of human civilization and culture. Language, words, signs, gestures, sounds, and colors are the tools used to convey the message. As spoken written words such as prose or poetry are classified as literature, fine arts is collectively composed of signs, sounds, colors, and gestures such as dance, music, sculpture, and painting. The levels of achievement in the field of literature and arts are regarded as the indicators of the level of social and cultural advancement of any society. Those who create literature and arts are respected and treated as national assets in a civilize society, and their creations vis-à-vis literature, artworks, and artifacts are regarded as the most valuable assets of a nation. They are preserved and treasured in the society for the education and the inspiration for future generations.
After my successful attempt to introduce Pakistan’s art legend-Sadequain to my undergraduate art class in an assignment here, I was so encouraged that I decided to pursue my master’s thesis in Arts Education by introducing Sadequain and his artworks in the field of Western Arts Education. The reason for this endeavor is that world renowned Sadequain has not been introduced in the Western Arts Education so far.
I want to assess Sadequain’s contribution towards the art world from a historical perspective and his enormous thematic artwork that is extensively spread over the Indo-Pakistan sub-continent, Middle East, and Europe.
Sadequain was a multi-dimensional artist, who painted superbly in a variety of forms, media and textures. I felt that his works contain a vision of realism, depicting a world surrounded by suffering and crying for justice and a better life. Those who consider fine arts only as a means of providing relaxation and sensual pleasure may not find Sadequain’s art much to their liking since it is largely conceptual and thematic, dealing with material which attempts to motivate people for improving social conditions and achieving human excellence.
Most of his works decorate the walls and roofs of famous educational institutions, public museums, and other public places in addition to private collections. His selection of educational institutions and public places for displaying his art explains Sadequain’s motto that art should not be confined to the homes of the rich because he thinks that it is a media to educate the people, motivating them for creating a more constructive and humane society. As an artist, a student of art, and art education, I have acquired great respect for Sadequain.
I decided to go to Pakistan earlier this year in pursuit of my thesis, to personally view his numerous artworks, and to get acquainted with his peers to better understand the enormous status of Sadequain in the world of art.
When in Pakistan, I was excited and believed that within weeks I’ll know every thing but I got shocked again that the artist who overwhelmed the people with sheer volume of his work has no catalog in the art gallery named after him, nor in the Karachi Art Council, Lahore Museum, or in Karachi’s Frere Hall.
I tried so hard to document his artwork and even hired professional photographers in Lahore and in Karachi for the job. They charged so much money and did the worst job that I could have never imagined, and am very much disappointed that I do not have a reasonably good documentation. The video and still pictures that I managed to get of his paintings on the ceiling of Lahore Museum, the mural of Mangla Dam, and the ceiling of Frere Hall are in fragments and pieces, which do not make much sense. One can feel my disappointment and frustration realizing that it had taken me days to get the permission from the authorities, travel hassle, plus good sum of money spent on this documentation.
I had some additional frustrations in store for me. I saw Sadequain’s one mural in the Liaquat Hall, Rawalpindi in the worst possible condition; the mural is kept in the garage and the diesel van belonging to the theater was parked in there. I was surprised that instead of the theater the mural is in the garage. In the State Bank, Karachi one mural was kept disassembled in the bank’s museum while the ground floor murals needed repairs. I think with a little amount of money these murals can be fixed, and if the bank has no place for some murals they should be donated to any museum or art gallery. In Karachi’s Frere Hall, the calligraphy on marble slabs are being kept in poor condition, covered with dust with their color fading. One mural in the new campus of Lahore University library was fully covered with black cloth. No one could explain to me as to why it was so. I am frustrated because we are so careless in preserving our cultural treasures.
There were no dimensions mentioned any where in any city on Sadequain’s artworks, it was not the job of the artist to place the caption on every peace. This is the job of the gallery to do. As a visitor I was neither equipped nor had the facility to measure these huge and monumental art works. There was no curator or gallery facilitator in the museums and galleries except the directors or other high officials, not easily accessible to answer questions because of their busy schedules. Still I am trying so hard to do my job as efficiently as possible but if any one can help me in this matter I would really appreciate it.
It will be unfair if I fail to mention that most of the officers, authorities in museums, art galleries and places where Sadequain’s artwork was on display, helped me as much as they could. Most of the authorities and officers in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, and Mangla were very cooperative and helpful to me and without their help my visit would have been a failure. I am thankful to them all. I am especially thankful to the family and friends of Sadequain who briefed me a lot on him and his art, and in mitigating my frustrations and disappointments by explaining the limitations. I will acknowledge the help of all the people in my thesis so please forgive me this time I have no intentions to forget anyone. There were many private art collectors I wanted to get in touch with but could not.
I emailed my appeal to Dawn newspaper but it was not published for reasons that I am not aware of. Through Pakistan Link I am requesting all those people in Pakistan, the United States, or anywhere else to please let me know if they have any photo, artwork, essay or brochure on Sadequain to enrich my thesis and make it worthy of the greatest artist. I will be greatly thankful to anyone who can help me in anyway possible to introduce this rare Pakistani treasure to Western Art Education, which could help our Pakistani-American young generation to be proud of their rich art heritage. You can reach me at the following email addresses: farhana@workmail.com, farhana110@yahoo.com, or write me at this address: POBOX 1875 ROSEMEAD, CA, 91770.
#1417 sadequain
on July 2, 2003 8:32pm PT
Caligrapher-Artist: Sadequain (1930-1987)
Researched by Rashda Faridi
One of Pakistan’s outstanding artists of distinctive vision developed his own abstract art form in the desert environment of Sindh. Sadequain was a rebel whose paintings are tortuous in their imagery, reflecting his personal psychosis in a thoroughly modern idiom. His paintings give an overpowering effect and his first murals were exhibited at the Karachi airport, Jinnah hospital and the State Bank of Pakistan. His last unfinished work was the mural intended to cover the ceiling of Frere Hall, which is now named as Sadequain’s Gallery.
As a child Sadequain was known in his neighborhood for sketching on sun backed clay and white washed walls of the houses he passed on his way to school. He made pictures in the soil, and rubbed them out to begin anew. In 1947, he came to Pakistan from Amroha, a town 15 miles from Bachhraon in India. He settled in Karachi and made friends with the Bengali painter Sultan. The two artists were often seen sitting in teashops, sketching the passers-by. In the late 1950’s, in need of rest and solitude, Sadequain headed for Gadani where a friend had offered him a simple hut. Here the cactus bushes bathed in moonlight fascinated him. His kitchen wall became a convenient canvas, transformed by the artist’s fingers into a mural. In Gadani, Sadequain synthesized his fascination for calligraphy, his penchant for harsh landscapes and his conviction that life is a struggle.
Calligraphy has been the essence of Sadequain’s work. He often stated that it was in his blood. The spiky length of cactus took on the attire of Kufic script. His entire aesthetic life was directed by the Gadani visit. Speaking of cactus he once said, "I only painted cactus in black, dark red and grey. I painted them without any intention of painting them. And at last in the anatomy of these gigantic plants, I found the essence of calligraphy. Everything I have painted since then... has been based on calligraphy, which in itself issues from the structure of cactus".
The National Art Gallery at Islamabad has been holding an exhibition of Sadequain’s paintings since 1980. Sotheby’s of London sold his paintings at Samuel Baker’s 258-year-old auction house for 6,000 pounds. And another painting ‘Europa and the Bull’ was sold for 1,800 pounds. Sotheby’s believes that Pakistani art is now ready for exposure to the West.
#1418 sadequain
on July 2, 2003 8:32pm PT
art
Sadequain for all
By Quddus Mirza
The immense popularity of Sadequain and the acceptance of his art was due to him evolving a form of expression that the majority of population can associate and relate with
To charge a hundred rupees for entrance to an exhibition seems incredible in a country where even the doctors are pestered to reduce their rates -- and life-saving drugs are sought on a discount price (if not free). But the public -- contrary to all assumptions -- paid the ticket and is still paying to go and see the work of Sadequain at the Mohatta Palace in Karachi.
Why is Sadequain so popular? Compared to other artists of the country, Sadequain enjoys a special place. His work is seen and appreciated by all sections of people in Pakistan.
The reason for this probably is connected to the structure of language. Here, like many other post-colonial nations, there is a divide between the national language and the one imported by the colonial rule. It would be needless to go into the details about its effect in the society, and how this separation has evolved into a system of privileges as anyone reading this article (printed in an English newspaper of Pakistan!) must be aware of this situation.
The linguistic condition, which exists in the society, mostly in its educational institutes, repeats in the realm of art as well. In this arena, the clash of languages operates in a decisive, yet not so obvious manner. Though it is believed that art has a universal vocabulary, Pakistani art in fact mainly revolves around English. Its teaching, discourse, documentation and its criticism are all done in English -- which a very limited number of literate population (again not a large figure either) can comprehend.
The artists of the country are strangely placed in this situation. Most of them have the background of training in Urdu, but once they achieve a level of success in the domain of visual art, they transform themselves. They adopt English for their expressions on art since the gallery owners, academics, patrons, buyers and critics all converse in this tongue. Any utterance in this medium is regarded synonymous to quality, and to be well-versed in English shows that the artist is aesthetically in tune with the international world.
Due to the limitation of the language in our society, many artists find themselves alienated from the general public. However, Sadequain appeared distinct from this crowd. Maybe because (not an abhorring feature as believed by many idealist painters and sculptors around us) he was an outsider to the group of established artists of country. And it is not astonishing, that during his lifetime, he was perceived to be merely a showman by the artists and art teachers. He was blamed for enjoying patronage of the government and after his calligraphic period, was accused of being a subservient of the Zia regime. Although his presence could not be avoided, he was not really acknowledged or welcomed in the art institutions at the time.
By adhering to the tradition via language, Sadequain made himself the most accessible and approachable painter. It is due to the usage of poetic themes from Urdu language and the manner of employing the narrative elements in his paintings that his work is widely understood and appreciated here. It is, therefore, not unusual that an ordinary viewer feels closer to Sadequain than any other artist (not even Chughtai or Allah Bux, who with all their comprehensible art were still exclusive painters).
Sadequain's art has a close link with the language, perhaps the closest of all. Beginning with the earlier imagery that was constructed as Kufic script to his figurative works and calligraphy, all reveal the linkage to the language of people. Most of his figurative work can be classified as narrative art.
There is another streak of narrative art in fashion these days which subscribes to the western influences of naive art or Indian examples of promoting primitive imagery. Instead of this superficial 'sublime' and contrived narrative art, Sadequain offered the obvious meanings through his canvases, to the ordinary spectators. Several of his paintings were even conceived on specific verses by Ghalib and Iqbal. For example, the hands carrying decapitated heads, men walking near gallows, a man facing the blazing sun, figure of an artist painted as the fasting Buddha and all the other such visuals from the popular Urdu poetry depicted the illustrative mood. In many ways, those paintings became visual equivalent to verses.
In addition to that, the constant poetic themes such as man being in an eternally miserable state and exposed to all kinds of inner and external tyrannies were recurring motifs on his murals as well as in his oil paintings. One factor about Sadequain making a connection between poetry and visual art is the fact that he himself was a practicing poet, acquiring Sadaq as takhallus or nom de plume for his earlier writings. Many collections of quartets by him were published later in his life.
This fascination with the language manifested in another form in his art, as calligraphy. The early interest of Sadequain in the art of scribing, his fondness for writing poetry, and perhaps the support and patronage from rulers, may have all contributed in his shift in the last years of his creative life.
But it can have another explanation: that is related to the artist and his audience. The art in our surrounding produced through training at art schools has always survived as an exclusive activity, limited to a minority. Sadequain was an artist neither educated at the art schools nor attached to the art circle (which is a closed circle in its literal sense), and through out remained an aloof personality. So in an attempt to bridge his solitude, he sought the kind of art with maximum popular appeal -- calligraphy was chosen as a right genre to achieve this goal. (As it is not a secret that religion is often used in our environment for getting the public support. The term like Islamic Socialism is one of those examples from the political history of our country).
The immense popularity of Sadequain and the acceptance of his art was all due to his evolving a form of expression that the majority of Pakistani population can associate and relate with. Thus it does not come as a surprise that only the work of Sadequain, especially his calligraphic pieces, are reproduced on facades of humble houses and in small shops situated far from the art world.
#1419 sadequain
on July 2, 2003 8:32pm PT
Our holy sinner
The painting exhibition of Sadequain, which opened in March at Mohatta Palace is one of the most comprehensive shows of its kind to have been curated in Pakistan
By Muna Siddiqui
Walking through the impressive hallways of Mohatta Palace, one cannot help but feel a sense of time lost. The palace's painted ceilings that tower high and its magnificently tiled floors belong to a time left far behind, a snapshot of the splendours of the past. And at this sublime venue, the paintings of the most treasured artist of Pakistan, Sadequain, have been brought together.
The exhibition, which opened in March and will continue till the end of July, is one of the most comprehensive shows of its kind to have been curated in Pakistan.
I arrived at the Mohatta Palace almost at closing time but the caretakers graciously unlocked the doors to let me view the exhibition. A solitary passage through the hallways lined with the large paintings of Sadequain is an awe-inspiring experience for any individual. The exhibition walks you through the creative life of Sadequain, which is astoundingly prolific. Sadequain's presence emerges as a spindly giant with knobby hands whose thirst for creation and knowledge was unquenchable. From the first gallery which displays the artist's early works which are experimental in technique and style to his absolute burst of creativity in the late '60s the exhibition presents a sensitive, creative and thinking man.
Much has been written about Sadequain and his genius. His paintings are not only testament to his creative prowess but they are also a window to the artist's soul. The exhibition reflects the ambition of the artist, his constant quest to know more and then to incorporate his being into his paintings. Sadequain's art is entirely a reflection of himself and comes through with honesty and purity so much so that there is no need to make comparisons of his style with any other artist either in this country or abroad. The artist may have been influenced by the cubist style or may have drawn inspiration from Indian mythological icons but he emerged with a style that was uniquely Sadequain. The strength and consistency of his personal brushstroke or line is present in every single painting or sketch in the exhibition.
Born in 1930, in Amroha India, Sadequain was the son of a scribe of the Quran. In his youth he worked as a copyist for All India Radio. Before his move to Pakistan after the partition he painted anti-British and pro-Pakistan slogans on walls and earned a part-time living drawing maps and illustrating textbooks. Apparently he could draw the map of any part of the world blindfolded. From this experience of the written word and his command of the drawn line emerged Sadequain's linear drawings. These later included the cactus motifs that added the linear dimension to much of his work.
Sadequain's acute sense of design allowed him to deftly use the line to fill space. In some cases he scratched out linear patterns to build the texture of his work. Apart from a few paintings he seemed to fill space more with line than colour. His love of the line is apparent in many sketches he produced and led him to become one of the first artists in Pakistan to experiment with calligraphy as an art form.
We all know Sadequain for the magnificent murals he created. Each one more ambitious than the next; the murals are present in public places like the Punjab Public Library in Lahore and the ceiling of Frere Hall in Karachi, which was a work in progress when his life tragically ended. The exhibition includes some of the artist's murals including one commissioned by the State Bank of Pakistan titled 'The Treasures of Time' which celebrates the intellectual achievements of man and highlights 46 major figures from history. The painting includes himself among the likes of Iqbal, Einstein, Tagore and Descartes.
An exhibition to remember, titled 'The Holy Sinner', is one of the most impressive exhibitions chronicling the life of an artist that I have seen in Pakistan. It is coupled with a pamphlet that walks you through the exhibition and each of the artist's works. The paintings are titled, dated and measured. The exhibition halls have been prepared and lit according to the works. Hameed Haroon and Salima Hashmi should be congratulated for putting together an exhibition that truly celebrates the life and the work of a genius called Sadequain.
posted by temporal at 10/31/2005
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home