ISLAMABAD: An art show and documentary screening on the life and art of Sadequain opened at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) on Friday.

The event was arranged by the San Diago-based Sadequain Foundation in collaboration with the PNCA to pay tributes to the legendary calligrapher, muralist, poet and intellectual artist on his 36th death anniversary.

National Heritage and Culture Division Secretary Fareena Mazhar opened the show ‘In Remembrance of Sadequain’ and a documentary screening, ‘Raaz-e-Fun’. Some of the masterpieces of the artist now with the National Art Gallery were on display in gallery 1 of the PNCA to celebrate the life and work of Sadequain on his 36th death anniversary.

Sadequain was a great artist with multi-dimensional talent. He was a calligrapher, painter and poet.

“There are very few personalities with such talent. Likes of him are not born for centuries. Pakistan should be proud of him, said Ms Mazhar.

He painted 15,000 paintings. She advised the audience, mostly students from Fatima Jinnah Women University, to delve deep into the poetry, and rubaiyat of Sadequain and understand his philosophy and work if they are interested in art and want to earn a name for themselves in this field.

Talking to Dawn, Ms Mazhar said her department would take measures to collect and preserve the artworks of Sadequain and restore those decaying in the National Art Gallery’s (NAG) storeroom.

The artist during his lifetime gifted more than 100 artworks to the PNCA which are in the permanent collection of NAG.

The 30-minute film ‘Raaz-e-Fun’ itself is a masterpiece that was screened in the lecture hall for students of the FJWU. The well-researched and skillfully done film has been written, narrated and directed by the award-winning writer and director, Waseem Amrohvi.

The documentary highlights Sadequain’s initial venture into calligraphy and poetry at 25, later focusing on painting.

Sadequain was the most prolific painter and poet of his time commonly compared to Picasso for his artistic genius and to Michelangelo for his gigantic murals displayed on many public buildings.

He is perhaps the only artist who has been awarded all four awards in the field of arts namely, Nishan-i-Imtiaz, Sitara-i-Imtiaz, Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, and Pride of Performance.

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2023