Art and culture: Collection depicting derelict historical monuments underway

Sadiq uses his work to highlight the problems ailing Pakistan.

LAHORE:

Tahir Ali Sadiq, a painter, has been working on a new collection that will be exhibited at Satrang Art Gallery in Islamabad during November.

He has used gray hard sand, glues, steel nets, kite paper, chewed betel leaves and gold and silver leaves on wasli paper to make the pieces. Speaking to The Express Tribune, Sadiq said he was an observer of his surroundings.

He said his work was inspired by the derelict state of the country’s historical monuments.

Sadiq said his work had documented the impact of political instability, religious intolerance and urbanisation on society.

He said he had used stylisation and simplification technique in his work as miniature paintings had been traditionally used by artists at the courts of Mughal and Persian emperors to document their histories for posterity. Sadiq said he had used his talent to register a protest against the problems ailing Pakistan.

He said his upcoming collection would have a political overtone and had been inspired by the architecture of famous historical monuments.

Sadiq said his painting style had evolved as he had started experimenting with peculiar mediums.

He said he had never compromised on the basic principles of classical miniature painting despite experimenting with different techniques, mediums and methods. Sadiq graduated from National College of Arts with a degree in fine arts in 2012. He currently teaches art history at the Government College University.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 17^th, 2014.