Against the backdrop of historical painting traditions of the subcontinent, continuing links between generations of Ustad-Shagirds were not uncommon. This has not been usual in more recent times. Artists have often gone to great lengths to avoid being labelled artistic descendants of their teachers. This exhibition reaffirms the traditions of artistic and personal relationships between the Ustad and the Shagird.
Shakir Ali, known more for his modernist neo-cubist vocabulary is represented by one of the few works he undertook incorporating calligraphy.
Commissioned by an overseas bank for their premises in the Alfalah Building on the Mall, the work not only represents Shakir Ali‘s interest in tradition, but also his training as a designer in Prague. The stringent demarcation of figure–field relationships are spatially designed to act as independent shapes rather than readable entities. This pioneered a singular approach to the sacred text, i.e. the designer’s tools of form and colour take precedence over all else.
His favoured student Zahoor ul Akhlaq’s forays into the study of tradition were strengthened during his years as a student in London. He came across the Indian miniature collections in the British Museum as well as the Moghul Royal Farmans in the Victoria and Albert museum. These together with his deep study of Muslim architecture across the subcontinent and beyond, generated a highly personal vocabulary, which was utterly new. One is reminded of his Modernist mentor Shakir Ali’s intellectual prowess when deliberating Zahoor’s Modernist leap into the Contemporary.
Many years later during his stay in the US in the 90’s, Zahoor ul Alhlaq’s encounter with the legendary ‘Emperors Album’ of ShahJehan invoked a passionate, lyrical response to the colour palette of the Moghul Masters.
Zahoor ul Akhlaq’s impactful presence at NCA seeded many artistic practices among the Shagirds under his tutelage. His insight into the creative process and potential of the ideas unfolding in the painting studios made him as influential (and reticent) a mentor as Shakir Ali.
Imran Qureshi’s lineage is traceable to this influence which infiltrated the Miniature studios. Qureshi’s penchant for going beyond the ordained parameters of the rigorous techniques learnt in the miniature studio slowly became apparent. His strategies for juxtaposing the exquisiteness of traditional practices together with playful explorations of the multiple meanings teased out from images create startling divergences. Technique is no impediment to the visceral nature of paint or the political context in which the artist creates his work. Imran Qureshi like his lineage of Ustads, has become a dynamic instigator in the teaching studio. As his own practice broadens, ranging from performance to video, he nurtures the young emergent practitioners at NCA inculcating in them their role as responsible and sensitive voices of their time.
As a shagird himself Sajid Khan has been a recipient of the mentorship of Imran Qureshi. He well understands the essence of self discovery, which results from such benedictions.
In his curatorial role, Sajid Khan uncovers these hidden lineages that continue to be tangible in the most subtle of ways, waiting for our discovery and contemplation.
Salima Hashmi
