Exhibition: Art show spotlights people’s sufferings at the hands of terror

A total of 80 paintings of Jimmy Engineer were on display during the event.

PESHAWAR:

A three-day exhibition on ‘Cultural History of Pakistan’ featuring the paintings of renowned artist Jimmy Engineer concluded at Nishtar Hall on Wednesday.

The exhibition, which paid tribute to the people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) for their sacrifices in fighting extremism, spotlighted 80 copies of the artist’s most notable paintings.

The exhibition was organised by the K-P Directorate of Culture, in collaboration with K-P Tourism Corporation and University of Engineering and Technology (UET).

Talking to The Express Tribune, Jimmy said the province, once visited by hundreds of tourists, has witnessed a sharp decline in tourism due to the current wave of terrorism.

The artist has over 2,000 paintings and 1,000 calligraphies to his credit and has held more than 60 exhibitions all over the world. More than 200,000 copies of his work are in private collections across 50 countries.

He has donated 80 art pieces worth Rs40 million to the K-P government.

In a career spanning 40 years, the artist has been highlighting the suffering of people living in K-P since the Pakistan Movement. In addition to that, his work reflects the aftermath of terrorism, mass exodus, Islamic and Gandhara civilisation and the lifestyle of Mughal rulers.

Besides portraying the draconian effects of terrorism, Jimmy has also painted the picturesque valleys of the province with special focus on their verdure and crystal clear rivers.

Rukhsana Maroof, a visitor said, “The exhibition is amazing and the art pieces portray the architecture of Pakistan in great detail.” She stressed the need to hold such exhibitions regularly to spread awareness about K-P’s culture.

UET Vice Chancellor Imtiaz Gilani said the people of K-P have valiantly faced hardships and hoped the law and order situation would improve.

“We are peace-loving people and such exhibitions are a great platform to present the province’s soft image,” he remarked.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2012.