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KARACHI: Young artist Usman Ghouri passed away today after suffering a heart attack early morning.
Born in Sukkur on July 12, 1969, Ghouri received a Bachelor of Design from the National College of Arts. Later, he received a Masters of Art (MA) from University of New South Wales, Australia in 2000.
A faculty member at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture since 1996, Ghouri was known for his firm approach and polite manners. He also worked for VASL in 2004 and had taken part in various solo and group shows on national and international level.For some who was well known for observing and absorbing the issues around him with a keen eye, Ghouri's work reflected his thoughts perfectly. He summed up his feelings aptly in the artist statement for his Verbal Nonverbal series where he wrote, “Art is my passion, profession and my life. The creative process provides articulation of my work. I observe and absorb environment and issues that surround me. In time, these issues develop distinct relationships with my thoughts, resulting in a discourse of profound and meditative nature. The open ended dialogues of such discussion share a presence in my work, without prejudice and judgment.”
Ghouri is survived by a widow and three children. The artist fraternity in Karachi and Lahore has expressed deep shock over his untimely demise.
Ghouri's funeral prayers will be held today at 5:30 pm at Baitul Mukaram Masjid, Block 16, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Main University Road, Karachi.
