Anwar is a veteran artist whose name has become almost synonymous with the enchanting images of watercolour renderings of the old buildings and streets of Lahore. The exhibition, held at the Alhamra Gallery in Lahore, displayed the signed prints of a large variety of paintings that the artist had made in the past three decades, as well as greeting cards, a booklet and a hardbound book representing his work. Thus visitors had a variety of spending options, such as Rs5000 for a signed, framed print, Rs900 for the book, or as little as Rs20 for a card. The entire earnings were pledged for the flood victims, and one hopes that a substantial sale was made.

While the exhibition was basically for charity, it nonetheless served as a reminder of the contribution Anwar has also made towards the art of watercolour painting and his rather single-minded pursuit of preserving the images of his beloved city, Lahore.

His focus has been on old buildings and their adjacent streets and neighbourhoods, and he has captured these images astutely through his deft and detailed brushstrokes and colours that are realistic, and yet individualistic in their often vibrant appeal. Not only buildings, but people too, are part of his many compositions, and one sees the busy market places of the old, walled city and marvels at the tiny details of shops and their merchandise that the artist has recorded with much enthusiasm.

The old world charm of Lahore's inner city has been immortalised in Anwar's paintings, and it is actually with a sense of nostalgia and even sadness that one views many of these images because some of the ornate old buildings have now been demolished.

In any case, the inner city is presently in shambles and hopelessly crowded and replete with encroachments and visual eyesores. The festivity of basant and the colourful kites that fill the sky on this event have also been a favourite theme of the artist, and viewing these too fill one with nostalgia, because even basant really is no more what it used to be.

In fact, after viewing Anwar's paintings one wonders what became of all the government plans to restore the old city, which is a vital part of our cultural heritage and must be preserved as such.

As far as this scribe knows, there is only news of plans being shelved and the usual mismanagement and paucity of funds due to the lack of trust by donor agencies which are no longer willing to chip in their resources to help us save our precious heritage. This fills one with sadness and the feeling that a time may come when we will be left with only photographs and painted images of the precious heritage of a city that deserved better management and governance.