Saeed Akhtar - an aspiring artist of diversified skills and an inspiring icon in the visual arts arena who has played a highly significant role in the promotion of art in Pakistan - launched an exquisite sketch book recently at Ejaz Gallery, Lahore.
The book carries a collection of 152 sketches and drawings in graphite, pastel and charcoal. Most of the sketches in the book are those that he produced in the last two years, which is a pinch of salt in view of thousands of art pieces that he churned out on a regular basis throughout his career.
As a senior artist Saeed Akhtar has developed his expertise in this field on the basis of sheer hard work, dedication and perseverance. Drawing is another source for his expression along with painting. His sensibilities of form, texture and colour including black and white are par excellence.
His drawings offer three dimensional as well as two dimensional forms in a skilfully detailed manner. The choice of a particular medium depends on its possibilities, limitations and characteristics that allow him to express which is not possible in any other medium.
The specific space and time containing the concrete and subtle elements of light, colours, textures, movements, mental and physical interactions in a particular atmosphere, creates a vision which then takes a form of sketch or drawing.
Saeed Akhtar's artistic endeavours in true spirit can be viewed through his sketches. He portrays the feminine form as part of nature while pure colours of black, grey and white are used to glamourize the simplicity of human body structure. Simple forms stand amidst the colourless background derived from nature crafted in order to provide a glamorous setting.
With the beauty of nature and the ecstasy in expression he achieves an intensified brilliance in his work. Devoid of colours, he reduces forms to their utmost simplicity and then embellishes them with vibrant pencil or charcoal strokes and energizes them further with implied textures enjoying their subtle nuances.
For him drawing from life has been an essential tool of exploration in preparation for his paintings. A lucid perception of the relationship of light with the structure and texture of the human form, enables him to express with instantaneity and freedom; the pictorial interpretation of the human spirit.
The ideas resulting in the pieces of drawings are mostly preliminary sketches for an intended canvas in future. The alluring and flowing recent sketches by Saeed Akhtar are the result of love for nature and drawing what attracts more in all the natural things around.
Myths and events in our life form the perfect subject matter for art. The subconscious mind is a treasure house storing an entire vocabulary of our visual and other sensory experience and Saeed Akhtar uses this in his drawings with dexterity. The firmly embedded visions in his mind take shape on paper. The energy with which his pencil flows can be felt easily by viewing his sketches.
The subjects of sketches are engaging. By moving pencil as a sword in worrier's hand he creates sometimes with intention otherwise free flowing. The ideas come from nature scatter on the paper taking an alluring and subjective shape.
The ordinary faces of men and women in his portraits speak their own stories. Smiling, alluring portraits of young women reveal a new world of beauty but mostly in deep thought, making it a serious affair.
Most of the sketches make contact with the viewers through their seductive eyes. The feminine beauty and strength both are discussed in his work. The feminine glow speaks of a desire for appreciation, admiration and love. The horse with wings along with women shows horses strength equal to women's powerful beauty.
The complex human emotions are communicated effectively through black and white drawings, devoid of colours yet very impressive and attractive. The simple grey, black colour of graphite and charcoal is enough for Saeed Akhtar to convey his message to the colourful world. The issues of self and society both are raised in his works, sharing the beauty with the world in its pure natural way.
Among the sketches one sees some turban wearing men with the stories of life on their faces. A self portrait along with alluring women and winged horses titled 'Buraq' is also part of the book. [email protected]
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