Eulogising Punjab

By Bibigul

Dawn: September 08, 2007

Saeed Ahmad's work displayed at the Nairang Galleries in Lahore, is a rendition of the artist's physical environment; Punjab's flatland, golden fields, hills swathed with the deep green of virgin land, and its people and wildlife. The media he has used are quite simple oil, watercolours and pen and ink. Having been a student of Khalid Iqbal, Colin David and Naseen Qazi at the Alhamra Art Council he belongs to that group of their students who took upon themselves a meticulous search for the dilemma of space in perspective that went on to become an eulogy to the Punjab landscape when the artists dispersed themselves in the rural areas.

Saeed's landscapes in oil and watercolours are an exercise in meticulously building up the canvas; taking one plane at a time, both texturally and physically. "Landscape1" is a prime example the rectangular board has a realistic approach, the composition emerges with distinct horizontal bands of perspective; the golden fields as the foreground, the middle distance is the far reaching grassy patches from where the sky takes over as the background. In the painting "Two birds" Saeed selects the traditional one-third of the canvas for the tangible while the sky dominates the rest. The foreground is an academic study of the greenery which is enhanced by the two birds, with the focus being on the infinity of the blue sky with scattered clouds that float endlessly.

"Rohtas Burj" sits atop a hill; though this emerges as a romantic interlude, underlying it is a disciplined study of colour as it recedes from the rigors of the composition to lure the eye and to stimulate the intellect. The "Lehhari Mosque, Jhelum" is attractive in its build up. The assessment of the architecture, the random greenery and the yellow of the dry earth all come together as a whole.

"Basant" captures the intrinsic Punjabi festival. Its colours and exuberance portray graphic details; the colours of the kites and the energy of the people is a display of colour and a visual statement.

In water colours, he presents a still life titled "Hardness and softness" that carries the value of the medium as well his skill in handling it. The portrait "Enlightened" has a deeper focus on the countenance of the model, while "Sleeping beauty" is in a foreshortening perspective. Another set of four water colours of Lahore's land marks is an interesting study of the city's colonial architecture including.

The exhibition had familiar subjects in realistic interpretations; one did not have to make an effort to understand and enjoy this work. There is no violent expression of social disorder or of dark tragedy as often seen in art work these days.