ART FACTS: Traditions of the past

Many young artists who specialise in miniature painting are now moving towards modernism but a few of them are still working to promote the traditional style miniature. Safdar Ali Qureshi is one of them who is determined and continues to evaluate and pay homage to the traditions of the past.
Graduated in 2005 with a degree in miniature painting from the National College of Arts, Lahore, Safdar has an opportunity to study miniature painting under Basher Ahmed and Imran Qureshi.
His work show his desire to create some thing new and different that help convey his message, his viewpoints in the same old traditional way that once use to be. He combined new technology with the traditional style resulting in a contemporary fresh art pieces showing his skills in modern as well as traditional techniques.
His recent work exhibited at Chawkandi Art Gallery, Karachi speaks itself where he combines digital prints, collage and miniature painting thus working in a mix media forming certain personal statements on wasli.
Safdar is also a visiting faculty member of fine arts department of the Institute of Art and design, Jamshoro, Sindh. Since his debut in a group show at the South Asian Calligraphers display held at the Alhamra Cultural Complex Lahore, in 2005 Safdar is contributing to miniature art through his distinct style and approach. His paintings attract viewers not only at home but also abroad. He has been exhibited his work in Dubai, Dhaka, Abu Dhabi, Oman, India and Algeria other than Pakistan.
His latest paintings show tiny motifs inter woven with each other. He unintentionally experimenting miniature art giving it a new meaning thus competing in the contemporary world with modern themes. In one of his paintings the clusters of vertical and horizontal lines making a colourful sequence fascinate the onlooker. His work shows men and women in traditional Mughal attire reminding us of bygone era. The use of colour and texture give a deep effect to his paintings, the colourful as well as white and grey - all of his work reflects a world long forgotten by us. The men and women seem to be living their own life unaware of the changes occurred around them. Full of grace and ambition Safdar's painting has the world of their own.
He has also used the Urdu text to construct his paintings. He is a visual artist who believes in adapting and bringing new elements to his art practice. [email protected]