LAHORE: Shahnaz Akhtar’s painting exhibition “Visions of the Heart” opened here at Hamail Art Gallery the other day. Shahnaz is a visual artist specializing in oil painting and graphic design with a longstanding career as an art teacher. Prof Dr Rahat Naveed Masud was the chief guest on the occasion.
Shahnaz Akhtar was trained in graphic design at the Punjab University’s College of Art and Design, under the tutelage of renowned Pakistani artists, such as Anna Molka Ahmed and Zulqarnain Haider. These mentors inspired her to investigate the visible world through the distribution of light and colours that would enable a closer observation of reality, while unlocking a deeper appreciation of nature.
Shahnaz graduated with an MFA from Punjab University with special honours and distinction, receiving a gold medal for her achievements in the fine arts.
She expanded her repertoire by taking courses at Columbia University in the New York City, where she took up oil paints as a medium that would define much of the work she later produced and exhibited upon her return to Lahore. Continuing her career as an instructor of fine arts, Shahnaz returned to teach at her alma mater, the Punjab University’s department of fine arts where she inspired the upcoming cohort of painters.
Returning to New York City, Shahnaz took up portrait painting at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) under the instruction of John Parks, a renowned American painter. In 2016, Shahnaz received her MPhil from the Punjab University in Studio Practice for her thesis titled “Visual Interpretation of Mirza Ghalib’s Poetry” under the supervision of Dr Rahat Naveed Masud.
This solo exhibition covers a cross-section of paintings spanning Shahnaz’s career – from her earlier oil paint renderings of landscapes and figures to her more recent expressionist forays in acrylics and mixed media. Many of her works are held in private collections in Pakistan, UK, USA, and UAE.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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