August 29, 2008	Friday	Sha'aban 26, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Aug 28: Gallery 6 opened its doors to the art lovers of the city to a display of the enchanting paintings of moon-faced girls by Mansur Aye who passed away last April.

Mansur Aye’s artistic career of more than 40 years was marked by prolific productions. His first solo exhibition was held in 1964 in Arts Council Karachi and the last in 2007 at Indus Gallery, Karachi.

Over decades, his aesthetic creativity faithfully painted moon-faced girls in different guises and different sizes, and the spontaneous movements of his brush strokes continued to create and reflect their moods.

These were enhanced by the application techniques of the color and simple compositions, often dominated with linear gestural movements. The works were an amalgam of abstraction and expressionism and reflected artist’s love for the female gestures.

The focus on his canvas mainly remained on facial features and hair, with addition of a few ornaments, bird or moon.

He created feelings with minimal details but interesting hues. The effects gave the impression that the works were completed without any interruption in single sitting with absolute control.

Commenting on the works, Dr Arjumand Faisal, the curator of the gallery said that these works were to be enjoyed for their vibrant colors, melting tones, moods and gestures presented with marvelous simplicity rather than searching for conceptual content. This distinctive signature work that he carried on for decades showed his strength of inventiveness and chromatic sensitivity, and also reflected the highs and lows that he may have faced in life.

This display and sale at Gallery 6 will continue till September 15.

“This is probably the last chance for the art collectors in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to pick up the genuine works of the painter before the galleries in Islamabad also are flooded with copied works, as has started happening in Lahore and Karachi,” Dr Arjumand said.