Art of the Past and Present

Art critic Marjorie Hussain discusses works of Pakistani contemporary artists and photographers who paint in the style of Mughal manuscripts and miniature paintings in this April 1994 (Volume XI, No. 6) issue of SHE. The article demonstrates how SHE continues to keep its reader abreast of significant developments in the Pakistani art sphere. 

Hussain begins by providing a brief overview of the historical Indian painting tradition. Mughal rulers including Akbar and Jehangir facilitated a cross-cultural exchange between Indian painters and artists and styles from Central Asia and subsequently, the West. Ragmala paintings, based on devotional and classical musical ragas in the Indian Pahari and Deccan regions, were also popular between the 16th and 19th centuries. Hussain then discusses the National Exhibition of Painting in Islamabad, showcasing miniature works by students at the National College of Arts (Lahore). Other artists in Karachi, including Mariam Saeedullah, incorporated Japanese techniques and painted Mughal hunting scenes and banquets, with detail. Meanwhile, artist Rooha Ghaznavi took inspiration from her photography practice and exhibited thirty-five paintings representing women at the Indus Gallery in Karachi.