Looking back: Paintings point to diversity of Faizaan’s artistic genius

Exhibition showcasing Faizaan Peerzada’s 130 paintings begins.

LAHORE:

An exhibition chronicling the late Faizaan Peerzada’s journey through colour, life, love and art started at Alhamra Art Gallery on Friday.

The show featuring 130 paintings will continue until January 9. Known widely for his puppeteering, Faizaan was also considered the driving force behind the Rafi Peer Theatre (RPT) Workshop.

“As you can see, his work spans several periods from the ‘70s when he was a young artist until the last years of his life,” said Salima Hashmi, dean of Beaconhouse National University School of Visual Arts.

“There is a great sense of continuity but you also find that he revisits certain phases,” she told visitors. What is intriguing of course is how prolific he was as one should not forget that he was running huge festivals not only in Lahore but also all over the world, she said.

Hashmi said Peerzada had a great eye and a great ear for performing arts whether it was music, puppetry or theatre.

“I was amazed at the way he could spot talent… what made it even more wonderful was that he never studied this… but he was a very good learner.”



She said the artist had gone through a very fine line drawing having an amazing sense not only of line but also of the symbolic use of line.

“There is a sophistication here which he taught himself by being a good observer. The most unusual aspect is his great sense of exuberance that comes from the work. People go to an art school for years and don’t come up with it.

It displays the passion which was a part of everything he did.”

Tassneem Peerzada, the Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop director, remembered the artists as an artist with diverse expressions.

“He was a painter basically, but I think he was capable of artistic expression in other ways including puppeteering.” She said it was Faizaan and his twin brother Saadaan who had started a small theatre in Karachi and then worked so much for puppetry to revive it through their own style.

“He first arranged a puppet festival, then a theatre festival and then realised that there were so many expressions of arts and started organising world performing arts festivals,” she said.

“His trademark portraits with large eyes and prominent features remind us of ancient times and of cave paintings,” said Asad Hayee, curator for the exhibition.

“The compositions are vivid and bright. The use of oil pastels, oil and acrylic on canvas show his ease with several media. He used them fluidly to convey his thoughts on canvas.”

However, his last works were in ink on paper. “He had shifted to minimal aesthetics. The absence of colour is strongly felt,” said Hayee.

Saadaan said the artist did many things. He said painting was one of his hidden talents.

“A person like Faizaan who gave so much is always present with his work. People can see him, feel his presence and enjoy his work and stories,” said artist Sheherezade Alam.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 27^th, 2014.