KARACHI, March 21: Mohammad Kazim, a reputed printmaker, passed away early Wednesday morning, according to family members. He was 63. Family sources said he was complaining of neck pain for a couple of days, which worsened Tuesday night. He is survived by a widow, four sons and three daughters. Kazim was buried in Azizabad graveyard, where relatives and colleagues gathered to pay their final respects.

Born in Hyderabad Deccan, India, in 1943, Kazim was known for his talent and was distinguished among his contemporaries, which included famous artists Naheed Raza, Qudsia Nisar, and Mashkoor Raza. He would mould figures and create calligraphy with his hands, for which he would use mulmul (velvet) cloth and handmade paper and vegetable dyes. Unfortunately, his art was not passed on to any young artists.

For artists and art enthusiasts, Kazim’s death was a tragic loss to the fraternity.

“He was a huge talent in his own field and had a loveable persona,” said Mehreen Ilahi, owner of a local art gallery. “Kazim was a disciplined person who remained focused in his work and devoted his whole life to it,” she added.

Kazim had lately come up with his ‘Indus Valley reliefs,’ an extension of his previous work turning his old monochromatic handling into a subtle painterly version, yet retaining the mystery of “brown log,” to borrow T. S. Eliot’s phrase.

He had recently been awarded a two-month residency in Chicago under an exchange programme in recognition of his achievements in relief work, by Chicago Artists International.

He had participated in various international exhibitions held in Hong Kong, Japan, Poland, Norway, and Spain and had won a bronze medal at the 6th National Exhibition held in 1994.