PESHAWAR: A young artist from Charsadda has said that he wants to reach out to world audience through his works so that it can know about the lifestyle and world view of people in this region.

Imam Hussain Turab, a resident of Shabqadar, was born with a flair for visual art and he grew up with drawing sketches and painting using several media to access world audience with his art pieces. After graduation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he went to Rawalpindi Arts Council and then to National College of Arts Lahore and learnt how to use his inborn talent meaningfully.

“Born with love for art, I have always wanted to reach out to world audience through my works so that it can know about our lifestyle and world view,” he told this scribe.

He runs a private gallery in Peshawar where he teaches the basics of arts to the young promising artists.

Imam Hussain Turab runs his private gallery in Peshawar

He has participated in several local and national solo and group art exhibitions and has received many commendation certificates from the master artists. He has been marketing his art pieces online for the last the six years.

“Most art lovers place orders for sketches and till now I have sold out my art pieces in the US, UK, Gulf States where art is not only loved but also endear artists for their efforts and vision,” he said.

Mr Turab said that he worked in several media but water colour and pencil sketch were his forte. He said that a paid art piece took more than a week as he gave five hours to prepare a detailed art work.

“Local people don’t value art, especially visual art, because they consider artists good for nothing but I don’t care and continue my work. Mostly I prepare sketches of leaders, artists, literati and those people, who have served their land and people,” said Mr Turab.

He is an ardent book lover and Pashto poetry attracts him more than other things, as he has brought out his one volume. “Mysticism, peace, patriotism and universal humanism are a few themes that dominate my art works on canvas. Whenever I come across a great hero or pacifist, humanist, I readily sit down to prepare her or his sketch because I believe such people deserve and worth my effort,” said the artist.

Mr Turab stated that KP was filled with bewitching landscapes and cityscapes. “Our artists give but little attention to it. I have planned to impart art education to art lovers and also educate our youth to portray thematic art works,” he added.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2023