LAHORE: A group show of paintings, titled ‘Silk Colour’, featuring works of 23 painters opened at the Ejaz Art Gallery, MM Alam Road, on Monday.

The salient feature of the exhibition is the artworks by iconic painter Ustad Allah Bakhsh.

Many of the artists in the show, inaugurated by Azmat Tareen, president of a private bank, have driven inspiration from nature according to their own perception and philosophy. Personal experiences and ups and downs of life have also been depicted through the artworks. The subjects have a great deal of diversity about them, ranging from figurative art to architectural elegance, calligraphy to lovely fields.

Living calligrapher Ahmed Khan’s artworks on display at the exhibition comprise of overlaid calligraphic designs based on silver foil pressed on canvas. Many of his themes deal with the oneness of God.

AQ Arif’s paintings create a dreamy image, beautiful landscapes half-imagined and half-real, the architectural elements in his work, domes and tall buildings, reflect the shimmering architectural jewels.

Artworks of Dr Khalid Mahmud, a recipient of Pride of Performance, display a flowing brush movement and transparency of colours.

Dur-i-Waseem recreates the sensation of being in the presence of a living world, not its life replica.

Muhammad Arshad capturing spirit of the forest viewing the gentle landscape is a balm to the troubled spirit.

In Rahat Naveed Masood’s work, the artist’s imagery combines the observed with the imagined in an expressive figurative style with a contemporary point of view.

Ali Abbas, an artist from Sindh, has explored Sufism and mysticism in his work. Asad Faruki has given in his works an ironic twist to images with the calculated use of materials in his work.

The exhibition will remain open till June 10.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2016