LAHORE, Jan 24: A week-long exhibition of paintings by Jamshed Qaisar, a Lahore-based artist, opened at the Native Art Gallery in Commercial Area of Defence here on Monday.

About 60 Quranic calligraphy works were displayed which were not based on traditional calligraphy as the artist introduced modern techniques in his artworks. Mr Qaisar said he used to do traditional calligraphy, but after having attended a few fine arts workshops in Europe he also started taking interest in the abstract art.

The artist said he had participated in some workshops in France and Italy in October last.

“In this exhibition I have gathered all my artworks; I have painted the abstract art. I am the only calligraphist in Pakistan who is doing such kind of paintings as I have tried to give a modern look to calligraphy”, he added.

Mr Qaiser said some of his paintings done in the modern calligraphy were also on display in the Moscow Contemporary Museum.

The exhibition was extremely good in terms of new ideas and thoughts the artist introduced through his modern calligraphy works. It was the third solo exhibition of the artist but the first solo at the Native Art Gallery.

He said he also participated in about 11 group shows both within and outside the country.

He said he had got the basic training in fine arts from the Iranian Cultural Centre some 10 years ago and, later he also taught there.