While visiting Lahore last month to attend a book launching ceremony and a solo exhibition of recent artworks by Chitra Pritam at Hamail Art Gallery, Lahore I was quite surprised to see the large number of artists, art lovers and curators who turn up at the venue to witness the exceptional paintings by the sensitive artist.
Part memoir, part nature writing and part art criticism, the book "Chitra Pritam's expression of gratitude to Jamil Naqsh" was written by Nadeem Zuberi was formerly launched last April in Karachi. The book takes readers around the art life of Chitra Pritam, which spreads over two decades. Chitra's major artworks are of commendable quality, bold colours combination and fine strokes capture the natural beauty of a village in landscape, sea in seascape and diverse presentation of Buddha, attractive abstract and aesthetically beautiful calligraphy.
Being a disciple of Jamil Naqsh, he has got the confidence that emanates from his canvases. The exhibition shares a wide range of diverse ideas by Chitra Pritam with masterly done innovative paintings, which unveils his life experiences especially his village life and better understanding of his works to art fraternity in Lahore.
The ceremony was inaugurated by the chief guest Rana Mohammed Iqbal, Speaker Punjab Assembly followed by the speeches session. Saeed Akhtar, a senior artist and Rahat Masood, Principal Art and Design College, Lahore address to the audience was worth listening.
"It seems Chitra has brought his native village, (Sanjarpur) to the gallery. I think he loves his soil as most of the paintings portray the beauty of village landscape full of expressions", said Rana Mohammed Iqbal while going through the exhibition. Elaborating Chitra's artworks senior artist, Saeed Akhtar said, "Ustad Shakir Ali calligraphy was painting and Sadequain's was simple colourful calligraphy but after viewing Chitra's calligraphic works I see a fusion of both".
Talking about Chitra's Buddha series Saeed Akhtar said, "When I see his Buddha I feel that Chitra portray himself in it as they both have same smile on their faces". "Chitra's vivid palette speaks itself' his artworks has colours of their own. Chitra's colour sense is marvellous. I include him in Pakistan's famous artists", said Rahat Masood during her speech.
Chitra's long creative journey brings forth the fruits of his extraordinary life as an artist to an admirable level of maturity and mastery. Each of his painting is in search of truth and beauty through colours, form and light. It is not just what eyes sees but what the soul senses.
The exhibition covers all of Chitra's works such as calligraphy landscapes, seascapes, abstract and Buddha. It is truly a blend of sentimental statements, emotions recorded by Chitra Pritam showing his command and strength on the medium to express himself vibrantly through art. It reveals some of the many different experiences of Chitra's life whether village or city.
Influenced by different strands of his culture and his own past including Sufi mysticism and his own experiences as a teenage boy, his paintings are intriguing and multi-layered conveying inward contemplation, the harmonious relationship between man and the natural world.
It is a fascinating exercise analysing his paintings to identify the cultural influences and spiritual and psychological meanings. His paintings delicately portray structures linking his present to the past. His chief sources of inspiration are the remnants of a bygone era. Chitra wants to hold the old values and structures of his village, and thus work with a vision to promote his native culture and to expose city dwellers to the beautiful country side. His basic inspiration comes from the ambient circumstances. There have been different phases of progress of his work. In early days the idea took its strength from the saint Musa Nawab whose mazar in his village is a great source of strength. After arriving in Karachi, there came another perspective of feelings and experiences, another phase started to respond to the circumstantial realities and uncertainties.
The process of painting allows Chitra to communicate with people through his art. He captures his feelings in his paintings. His urge to ameliorate gives him energy to continue his journey. Chitra said, "When I started painting, I was not a master, nor I am now. I feel that I know nothing. The passion and quest that I had as a youth, I still have it. I am always looking for something."
For him prior to every thing is drawing. With strong drawing lines, his paintings are attractive from a distance as well. His strokes are very, careful and calculated his hand handles the brush like a delicate instrument. He believes that a colour should not feel lonely on canvas it should be at its proper place. There were about 60 selected paintings by Chitra Pritam including Calligraphy, Landscape, Seascape, Abstract and special Buddha series. The exhibition consists of a number of canvases ranging in size from small to large, but the most interesting piece was a mural.
nadeemzuberi71@gmail.com