KARACHI: A book comprising essays on and works of the legendary artist Sadequain titled Sadequain –– Shair Mussavvir Khattaat compiled by Syed Sultan Ahmed Naqvi was launched at the Karachi Press Club on Friday evening.

Poet and journalist Mahmood Shaam presided over the event. He said Sadequain was a painter and poet of a universal stature (aafaqi satah). Shaam sahib lauded the effort of Mr Naqvi, saying that he had included in the book high-quality essays penned by Pakistani and Indian writers that merit a careful reading. Sadequain’s own writings are in the book and attract reader’s attention. He underlined the fact that the painter’s art could be examined by the likes of Shafi Aqeel and Marjorie Husain, but today art galleries have turned into spaces for earning money.

Prof Sahar Ansari said Sadequain was born in 1930. This was a time when a little later a World War happened, and conditions were placed before British rulers that our armed forces would join the Allied Forces only if the British allowed the subcontinent to be independent after the war. Sadequain came from that background. He announced his arrival on the art scene in 1945 when he painted his neighbourhood with coal. In the 57 years that he lived, he created works that people can’t produce in 157 years.

Prof Ansari said the first time he went to a Sadequain exhibition, the one artwork that inspired him the most was the painter’s interpretation of Majaz’s poem ‘Awarah’. The journey of his art can be divided into three phases. It begins when he painted the cactus which became a symbol of a creature that grows without needing any external help to nurture. The second was the phase of the scarecrow, which during Ayub Khan’s rule indicated that artists don’t get scared by anyone. And the third was the symbol of Sarmad. His Sarmad inspiration was twofold: martyrdom and rubai’yaat.

Book on iconic artist launched

Prof Dr Jaffar Ahmed said Sadequain brimmed with creativity. When the artist got to know that fakes of his works were being made, he didn’t waste his energies on going to court, rather he kept on creating art. He brimmed so much with creativity that he couldn’t confine his expression to one genre: apart from painting, he wrote poetry and did calligraphy. His ruba’iyaat introduced us to new facets of love. But how could he have remained unaffected by the environment that surrounded him? He faced many difficulties in Gen Ziaul Haq’s tenure, but kept working.

Dr Jaffar wondered why Sadequain’s paintings don’t have his signature at the end. He then reasoned it by telling the audience about scholar and political activist Sibte Hassan’s experience and take on the subject with reference to the Ajanta Caves, concluding that Sadequain was at heart a communist (ishtiraki). His art and worldview were ishtiraki.

Prof Dr Tauseef Ahmed said the book is useful for the new generation. He narrated a story of the period at the University of Karachi when he and some fellow students held an exhibition of the painter’s works. Gen Zia was at the helm. The show had a few artworks that talked about freedom of expression. The Jamiat [Jamaat-i-Islami’s student wing] didn’t like it and objected to it. Dr Ahmed also mentioned that Sadequain spent his life in a selfless (faqeerana) manner.

Compiler and editor of the book Syed Sultan Ahmed Naqvi described the order of Sadequain’s forms of expression, as titled in the book, shair (poet), mussavvir (painter) and khattaat (calligrapher) because it was first and foremost poetry that he used as a form of expression.

Shahid Rassam and Shaista Momin also spoke. Ali Ausat Jaffery paid tribute to Sadequain in verse. Prof Anis Zaidi anchored the programme organised by the Progressive Writers Association of Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, January 12th, 2020