LAHORE: Under a cloudy sky and in the early spring breeze, the first-ever live landscape contest for students was held at Alhamra Cultural Complex, Qaddafi Stadium, on Tuesday.

The competition, organised by the Lahore Arts Council (LAC) on serenity and beauty of the Alhamra Cultural Complex, brought about some magnificent pieces of art by the contestants.

Invitations for the landscape contest were sent to 16 art institutes. Each institute sent its best students to participate in the contest. The total number of the participants was 64. The event had been sponsored by a paints company, which had also provided the students with canvases, paints and other relevant stationery. The students painted live landscape on the spot from 8am to 3pm. The purpose of the competition was to paint the surroundings and architecture of cultural complex.

First prize was won by Asif Hussain from the Punjab University (PU), second by Danish from the YMCA, third by Maryam Qazi from the PU and fourth by Maryam Shahid from Kinnaird College.

The jury consisted of Zulfiqar Ali Zulfi, director Art & Culture of LAC, Sarosh Tariq of the Govt College for Women, Gulberg, and Hamamatul Bushra, a contemporary artist and lecturer at University of Education.

The winners were awarded cash prizes, certificates and shields. The cash prize for the first position was Rs20, 000, Rs15,000 for the second, Rs10,000 for the third and Rs 5, 000 for the fourth position.

Speaking on the occasion, LAC Executive Director Athar Ali Khan said that through this competition, the young generation explored the beauty and grandeur of the Alhamra Cultural Complex, a landmark building in Lahore. He said the live painting competition remained very successful and it would be a monthly feature at the complex from now onwards.

The winning artworks would be on display at Alhamra Cultural Complex along with other best works. The live landscape contest attracted a large gathering of art fanciers, faculty from the art institutes and students.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2019