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NCA holds reference for Ismail Gulgee
LAHORE, Dec 25, 2007: A reference in the memory of recently murdered artist Gulgee was held at
the National College of Arts (NCA), on Monday.
Artists, art critics and
educationists attended the reference. They talked about his work, his
personality and recalled memories of their time with him. They expressed shock
and sorrow on the murders of Gulgee, his wife and maid. They prayed for a minute
in silence for the legendary artist.
NCA principal Nazish Attaullah
termed the murders outrageous. She condemned the murders saying, "The
vulnerability and fragility of old age saddens one even further. Gulgee seemed
invincible. His energy and zest for life were remarkable." She said that in the
Pakistani art Gulgee's expressionistic manner was
individualistic.
Beaconhouse National University's Fine Arts Department
dean Salima Hashmi's message was read in the reference since she was in Karachi
and could not attend it. She said, "I think one needs to stand back from the
disturbing circumstances of his death, and look at him as the last of the first
generation [of Pakistani artists]." She said that as someone who had had no
formal education in art, "he had the confidence to let his talent consume him
once he discovered it". She said, "He played the representational, the
calligraphic and the abstract expressionist strands in his work with
vigour."
Rahat Naveed Masood, a participant, said, "I did not know him
personally, but he always came across as a very gentle person, a painter who
could speak the language of a true artist. It's sad that his life should have
come to such a violent end." He called Gulgee's death a national
loss.
Artist Amin said, "We mourn you in solidarity. We hang our heads in
shame. We pray in silence." The participants talked about the need to encourage
tolerance in society and aimed for a greater and better unity and bond between
artist communities. Nazish Attaullah presided over the reference. Daily Times
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