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    Art Review: Jamil Naqsh's 'An Homage to the Ethereal Beauty' at Tanzara Gallery

    Written by: Varda Nisar
    Posted on: April 20, 2018 | | 中文

    Congregation

    The Maestro is in Town! Tanzara Gallery brings to Islamabad a chance to bask in the presence of the brilliant work of Jamil Naqsh.

    The Guide

    The Guide

    Jamil Naqsh is hardly a name that needs an introduction in Pakistan; he and his work has been recognized on every level, nationally and internationally. Now, with the opening of the Jamil Naqsh Museum in Karachi, his work will live on forever in the public domain, immortalizing him. It is a greater blessing that we are being given the opportunity to see, understand and marvel at these works and conclude that the fuss is actually justified. An image of a work can’t even come close to capturing what you see in front of you, and this is one of those moments, for what is on display is beyond the capacity of words to capture.

    These works are nothing short of a medium to transport you to a place of calm and serenity. You find yourself surrounded by canvases in earthy tones that look back at you where ever you go, through the eyes of Naqsh’s subjects. These eyes watch you either through the faces of women, which have the profound capacity to hold within them innocence and sensuality, or in the form of pigeons, that resonate a playful quality captured in a moment that the artist has deemed us worthy of being a part of.

    Every work is a masterpiece. Take for example, “Congregation,” - a woman with big eyes and big lips is looking at you, her features sharpened by the play of light and shadows. Her long hands and equally long neck, seem to be reaching out to the two pigeons that fly around her head. Her eyes can look lifeless in a moment, and alive in the next. The background is relatively chaotic, revealing a sense of urgency through the brush strokes, an urgency that is altogether missing from the woman’s features. The fact that so many varied qualities can be captured, and composed in perfect synergy with each other, is a trick that can only come from a true master.

    Pensive

    Pensive

    In “Pensive,” there is an altogether different quality to be discovered. The woman and her feathery companion seem to be lost in thought, and disappearing into the canvas. The eyes and the lips remain the same, but the feel of the work is that of something fragile, on the verge of being lost forever.

    Repose

    Repose

    “Repose” seems to be an ongoing conversation between the two subject matters of Naqsh’s work. The audience is ignored, and one’s presence only seems to hint towards an intrusion. The slight craning of the pigeons’ necks so that their eyes can look deep into those of their human companion, is a private moment, framed by a grey border. The rendering of the image is such that it appears to have been captured in another century, and yet is powerful enough to resonate with its current audience.

    “Congregation II” should confirm to anyone beyond doubt why Jamil Naqsh is a maestro. There are a number of elements at play, there are of course the earthy tones, the eyes, the lips, the pigeon and the woman, but beyond that there is a layering of all these elements in a complicated web. It’s a riddle that has to be solved, a code that needs to be deciphered, requiring the attention of the viewer. You become part of that web, entangled in it, without realizing that you were only there as a spectator.

    Congregation II

    Congregation II

    The relationship that is developed when one witnesses a piece of art is an altogether different experience, and only that experience can help you understand what makes for a genius artist. Don’t take anyone’s word when they tell you what Jamil Naqsh means to the world. See the works for yourself and you will be a convert.

    The show is on till the 30th of April 2018 at Tanzara Gallery before it travels to Lahore.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021









    Video message by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Black Day of Indian Occupation of Kashmir



    Video message by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Black Day of Indian Occupation of Kashmir, 27 October 1947, when Indian military troops forcibly occupied Kashmir illegally, claiming a fraudulent ‘Instrument of Accession’ which never existed as documented by eminent British historian Alastair Lamb! Kashmir & Palestine are examples of illegal occupation & continued Resistance to Repression! There are so many commonalities in Kashmir & Palestine: both under brutal military occupation of foreign powers, both are facing an indigenous, popular, spontaneous & widespread Resistance & Uprising, both are in violation of UN Resolutions which haven’t been implemented, both are witnessing an attempted change in the demographic balance, both are facing the use of rape as a weapon of war, both are testimony to double-standards & hypocrisy of Western powers on human rights & fundamental rights, and both conflicts have an element of racism and Islamophobia, while enduring peace, security and stability will remain elusive in both regions, South Asia & Middle East, until these issues are resolved in accordance with popular aspirations.