KARACHI: Action should be taken against those who are making fake paintings and selling them as Sadequain’s artworks. This was the crux of a press conference held by one of the nephews of Sadequain (1930-1987), Sultan Ahmed, and Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi’s president Ahmed Shah at the council’s Ahmed Pervez Gallery on Wednesday.

Mr Shah said Sadequain was a great artist, and his work was appreciated all over the world. The issue was that he had no legal heir (waaris), so there’s no one to protect his work. Unfortunately, there were no such institutions in Pakistan that could keep a check on practices of making non-genuine artworks, nor were there relevant laws to curb the problem.

Mr Shah said sometime back Sultan’s brother Salman (who lives in the United States) came to him. [The council had in the past launched one of his books.] He had an exhibition at Frere Hall. But during that show, the issue of fakes came up because he himself had assumed the responsibility of verifying fake Sadequains. Mr Shah said the council’s objective [to hold the press conference] was to put an end to the practice of making fake paintings; a law should be made to prevent such practices and FIRs should be registered against those involved in the malpractice.

Nephew wants a JIT formed to investigate the matter

Sultan Ahmed said he had been pursuing the issue since 1990. In Dec 1990 an exhibition was held in which for the first time fakes were displayed in an organised way. He went to offices of newspapers to get the news published, but to his surprise no newspaper published it. Gradually the practice gained momentum.

Mr Ahmed said in the press kit he had given to journalists he had included published reports about fakes being produced, but no one pointed out who was doing it. He said in the press release that he had provided to the media, he had pinpointed (nishandahi ki) those who were making phony Sadequain artworks or through whom it was being done. He said he also had their addresses.

Sultan Ahmed said these days the setting up of JITs was in vogue; so he had suggested to some members of the media that there should be a [similar] JIT that could investigate the matter. If such a JIT was formed, he himself offered to be the first person to go before it.

Social and human rights activist Karamat Ali said he worked with Sadequain for three years (1970-1972). He was witness to a lot of artworks that he did, including the one that he did on the Lahore Museum’s ceiling, which no longer existed.

Mr Ali said Sadequain was a unique painter who wanted basic changes in society. He used to work for the public and did not believe in the concept of having private property. If such a huge injustice [of fakes in the market] was being done to him, then it’s our collective responsibility to raise our voice against it. The artist worked at a lot of government institutions, therefore, it’s the state’s responsibility to protect his work. A system should be put in place in which all the money earned through selling Sadequain’s artworks could go to the service of art and culture in the country.

He said the state must be made to realise the importance of saving Sadequain’s work. He asked Ahmed Shah to name one of the corners at the Arts Council after the great artist. He also told him that there existed a law pertaining to forgery.

After the speeches, the floor was opened for a question-answer session.

Shehla Rehman and Shahid Rassam also spoke.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2017