Page 5 - Hues of Diversity II

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INTERNATIONAL WATERCOLOUR EXHIBITION
ARTCITI GALLERY

The art of water-colour painting has come to us through centuries of
fascinating history, originating from Eastern countries. It was not until the
18th century that water-colour media began to become popular with Western
artists.

One remembers Karachi in the 1960's as a city with many locally settled
talented artists. It was a young and enthusiastic group of artist including
Munsur Rahi and Abdul Hayee who would spend week-ends with a group of
other art enthusiasts, painting interesting buildings and landscapes around the
city. They were the artists that started a Water-Colour movement in Karachi at
that time.

It is interesting to note that it was not until 2012 that the International
Watercolour Society was established. It expanded to include seventy countries
of the world including Pakistan.

Here, an enthusiastic group of artists including the leading exponents of
watercolour painting, have attended festivals, and traveled abroad where their
paintings were acquired by National Museums. In 2014, Ali Abbas was the
recipient of the Gold Medal award for the Biennnale held in Spain, and in 2016,
foreign artists were invited to participate in the IWS Biennale held in
Jamshoro.

Throughout the movement, the IWS of Pakistan has formed close ties with
Artciti Gallery, Karachi. A gallery that has encouraged the watercolour
movement and who are also in touch with the artists of other countries. For
this reason, a fascinating exhibition has been organized by the gallery, showing
the work of water-colourists from numerous countries, both East and West. We
are fortunate that these artists who are well known in their own countries,
send their work for us to enjoy. Glimpsing the work, it is fascinating to view
the differences in the subjects and the use of the colour by the artists from
different cultures and surroundings who - through their affiliation with the IWS
Pakistan, have sent their work to be shown in exhibition.

Viewing the exhibition, one has the rare opportunity of viewing paintings from
Turkey, UK, America, Hong Kong, Brazil, India, Serbia, Italy, Russia and Iran, as
well as enjoying the work of Qudsia Nisar, Hajra Mansoor, Ali Abbas, Abdul
Hayee, Akram Dost, G.N Qazi, Ghulam Hussain and A.H Rizvi. For art lovers and
artists and art students, it is an opportunity not to be missed.

Marjorie Husain

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