Sadequain’s unseen portraits displayed for the first time

Exhibition features the acclaimed artist's early works

KARACHI: Vastness is a theme assumed to be integral to Sadequain's works. While one cannot fully comprehend the meanings behind the famous artist's works, many of which are public murals, some of his family members organised a show providing insight into a collection of portraits from the artist's private collection.

An exhibition, titled 'Sadequain in Intimate Moments', was exhibited at Pearl Continental late Monday evening, in which unseen portraits of Sadequain were put on display. According to Sadequain's nephew, Sultan Naqvi, the portraits are some of Sadequain's very private works that have never been showcased before. He said that the people in these portraits are some of Sadequain's close relatives. "They have never been exhibited," Sultan told The Express Tribune.





Speaking to the audience before the display was opened for viewing, Sultan said that these portraits are not really a part of his collection and are not the basis of the artist's popularity. "This is a part of his personal and private life. Only one or two such portraits can be found in the books that were published on him," he said, adding that 22 out of 31 portraits are of his family members and those close to him.

The portraits, which according to Sultan, date between 1942 and 1986, include some of Sadequain's self-portraits. In one of the portraits he has a biri [rolled cigarette] in hand, while in another, Ghalib can be seen smoking from a hookah. His mother can be seen in three different sketches that were on display. In one of them she has her face titled downwards, the other has her side profile and, in the third, her wrinkled face can be seen as she is looking head on. Graphite on paper, pen on cotton, ink on paper and pen on paper are the only mediums that have been used to make these portraits, signifying simplicity as one of the main characteristics.



Addressing the audience at the event, Sultan's son, Sibtain Naqvi, said that the exhibition is unique because it has never been displayed before, not even in his own lifetime. "Secondly, it features work from the 1940s when Sadequain was a teenager and living in Amroha, India," he added.



Sibtain said that since these portraits are one of Sadequain's early works, one can see his development from teenage life, before he moved to Pakistan. Through these, one sees him breaking from his mould, he said, adding, "Sadequain is neither a calligrapher [nor] a muralist. He is none of these things. He's an artist. That's it."

A retrospective book, titled Cobweb World of Sadequain, was also launched during the event. The book covers Sadequain's seminal macabre exhibitions of 1966.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 18^th, 2016.