LAHORE, Sept 21: A painting exhibition by a 14-year old artist, Sadia Sheikh, suffering from autism, was inaugurated by Punjab Finance Minister Tariq Hameed here on Friday.

Daughter of SM Mansoor, a well-known painter belonging to the Patialla Gharana known for miniature painting, Sadia is a special child. Though she cannot speak, her paintings seem to speak the universal language of art if the exhibition is something to go by. Using pencil, colour makers, crayons, oil pastels, poster colours, oil paints and ink on newspaper, craft paper, corrugated and tin-plates, Sadia has all elements like line, colour, texture, space and form that make a painting.

Her father claims to be helping her with angles, framing and other peripheral helps but claims that ideas and execution was strictly her own. “Since she cannot speak, God has gifted her with faculties. After some motivation, she looks for a moment on the paper and observes colour palette carefully and starts drawing at a turbo speed,” he said.