The National Art Gallery (NAG) is holding an exhibition of more than 100 paintings of the legend artist, Naseem Hafeez Qazi with the theme title 'Rediscovery of Naseem Qazi'.
Though, she died more than 24 years ago (1928-1964), NAG claimed that it was an attempt to recall Qazi's art from the depth of ages because she was one of the most eminent painters of Pakistan and therefore, deserved to be remembered and honoured.
Her artworks depicting social protest attract the visitors instantly. It As if she has just portrayed the present atta crisis, a situation similar to half a century old Lahore when flour disappeared from the market putting the masses in great difficulties.
Qazi at a young age wished to see the world treating rich an poor equality. But she also painted ordinary workers, facing the crisis with immense energy and dejection dominating the faces of children, men and women. She gave lively pigment and colours to the figures of her canvas that easily narrated their misery.
The artist also can be credited for her paintings of myriad of children, men and women and also creating the beauty of Punjabi village. Her oil paintings on linen, cloth and wooden canvas talk smoothly about the nature like the poetry of Wordsworth or the prose of Thomas Hardy.
Qazi restored the grandeur of Lahore village life, people's characters with special attention to details as seen in the green colours and subtle shadings. She portrayed still life with deep sense of nature on the purple and white daisies.
NAG initiated the exhibition to attract the students towards painting. Later, they widened the objective to include fitting images of art, since, according to Jamal Shah, Qazi's work reflects a concerned individual's intimate understanding of her surroundings.