LAHORE: The Alhamra Art Museum at the Alhamra Cultural Complex, which houses a collection of modern Pakistani art by old masters, has re-curated its collection. The collection has been re-curated by Asad Hayee.

Visitors can experience a storytelling display design at the gallery, starting with the pre-partition masters, such as Chughtai, Allah Bux, Sadequain, and MS Ahmed. The display leads visitors to the Lahore Art Circle Era (1947-1960s), an art movement pioneered by Shakir Ali.

Board of Governors of Lahore Arts Council Chairman Razi Ahmed told Dawn, “The museum provides a fresh perspective on the modern era spanning from the 1930s through the mid-1990s. He acknowledged the role that Asad Hayee played in guiding the process. A large collection of works by East and West Pakistani painters and sculptors is displayed in the museum, including works by Zainul Abedin, Allah Bux, Abdur Rahman Chughtai, Novera Ahmed, Shakir Ali, and Anwar Jalal Shemza, among others, he added.

Artist and art educationist Salima Hashmi said, “The works of the old masters of the permanent collection were in decrepit frames, badly hung, and not in any thematic or chronological order. Even the best paintings looked poorly kept and were, in fact, badly maintained. The reframing and curating of this most important collection has totally transformed its historical narrative and aesthetic impact. The spaces and lighting have been redesigned, making a visit to the museum a pleasurable educational and cultural experience.”

Curator Hajra Mehmood said Alhamra Art Museum, established in 1996, houses a modern art collection of Pakistan by old masters from the Pre-Partition Era of the Subcontinent, Lahore Art Circle (1947 - 1960s), Bangladesh (former East Pakistan), and living legends, thus portraying the art history of Pakistan.

Ms Hajra said that in the centralised portion of the museum, visitors can find other important masters who worked adjacently to the Lahore Art Circle, such as Zubeida Agha, one of the most eminent artists.

The Modern Art Collection of the museum is so rich that it includes Bangladeshi old masters, including Zainul Abedin, Mortaja Baseer, Novera Ahmed, and Aminul Islam. The chronological display at the Alhamra Art Museum concludes with a showcase of a few artworks by the country’s living legends, including Saeed Akhtar, Salima Hashmi, Ijazul Hassan, and RM Naeem.

Additionally, preservation in the form of museum-quality re-framing with acid-free mounts and non-reflective clarity glass has also been carried out to save this rare art heritage for future generations.

Mr Hayee said, “The space has been curated in a chronology to present a narrative for its visitors to see how art after Partition flourished and developed in Pakistan. While going along the space, one finds interesting overlaps of Bangladeshi (then East Pakistan) artists, including Novera Ahmed, Murtaza Bashir, Zainul Abedin, and many more.”

He said the collection is rich in diversity, with themes and subject matters that inspired the artists. One can see a fine collection of artworks from the prime of each artist’s career. From Chughtai’s watercolours to Allah Bux’s oil on canvas, the exhibition offers a glimpse into the pre- and post-Partition eras. Anna Molka Ahmed’s initiative to start a department of fine arts at Punjab University laid the foundation for establishing a rich, vibrant culture of art in a newly born society. Her art practice provided a fresh perspective for the audience. Zubeida Agha, being the first woman artist to hold a solo exhibition, envisioned a progressive society. Soon, the Lahore Art Circle made its presence felt while Sadequain was celebrated by state patronage. Artists like Shemza, Shakir Ali, Moyen Najmi, Ahmed Pervez, and Sheikh Safdar represented modernity, providing food for thought for viewers, art connoisseurs, and critics to dwell upon the changes happening worldwide.

The museum stands as a witness to the evolution of the Pakistani art scene. Colin David, Salima Hashmi, Zahoorul Akhlaq, Saeed Akhtar and Mian Ijazul Hassan showcased the genre of the ‘90s.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2024