LAHORE: Alhamra Art Centre, The Mall, gave the impression of an ‘art fare’ on Monday as fine arts fanciers in good numbers visited two newly inaugurated exhibitions.

The first exhibition by Maria Yousaf, a Gujrat-based artist, titled Shikwa Jawab-i- Shikwa, had a lot to offer and opened a new window to Allama Iqbal’s vision. The exhibition was inaugurated by Dr Munib Iqbal, grandson of the Poet of the East.

A student of Fine Arts Department at the University of Gujrat, Maria had put on display her thesis and some additional pieces at the exhibition. The artist told Dawn the show was her first solo exhibition. Through graphical visuals, illustrations and portraits she had tried to explain the very context of Iqbal’s famous poem, ‘Shikwa Jawab-i-Shikwa’.

Maria said these days not a lot of students were working on Iqbal.

“Through this exhibition, I would like to promote Allama Iqbal’s vision and generate interest in the poet among students,” she added. She said it was a travelling exhibition and she planned to take it to other cities of Punjab.

The next destination of the art show would most probably be Rawalpindi, she said.

The second exhibition by Maham Sohail, titled Scenes Less Seen, was a multimedia show primarily based on digital art. It was inaugurated by renowned tennis player Aisamul Haq.

Maham, a self-taught artist from Lahore, had displayed photographs, digitally treated artworks, installations and poetry embedded in art pieces. She is also a poet, singer and an instrumentalist.

The exhibition was the first solo show by Maham. The titles of her works jelled well with her pieces such as ‘Shades of Silence’, ‘Vertigo’, ‘Cloud Carvan’, ‘Dancing in the Rain’, ‘Mosaic Man’ and ‘Untouchables’.

The exhibitions will remain on display till Nov 28.

Published in Dawn, November 25th , 2014