jamil naqsh - Albemarle Gallery

JAMIL NAQSH
MEMORIES OF DOVES & PIGEONS
LONDON
JAMIL NAQSH
MEMORIES OF DOVES & PIGEONS
LONDON
JAMIL NAQSH – GIRLS & PIGEONS
By Edward Lucie-Smith
In Pakistan, Jamil Naqsh is probably best known for his paintings featuring pigeons, or pigeons with beautiful women. These
refer to a very particular aspect of his own past, as well as to specific aspects of Pakistani culture. When Naqsh was forced to
leave Kairana, in Uttar Pradesh, where he was born, amid the violent turmoil of Partition, he was in his teens. After the turmoil
subsided, he returned, to find that a familiar domestic world, which had seemed completely stable, to all intents and purposes
immutable, had vanished. During his childhood, the pigeons that flew in and out of the windows of the family house were
personifications of domestic calm and ease. For Naqsh, the painted images are emotionally charged – they are symbols of a
way of life that has been completely lost, and can never be recovered, except through the magic of art.
When he combines them with images of beautiful young women, they are symbolic in another sense. Naqsh is widely read,
both in English and in Urdu. In Urdu one of the writers who has meant most to him is the poet Mirza Ghalib (1797-1869), who is
considered to be the last great poet of the Mughal era. Ghalib is particularly celebrated for his ghazals, short poems following a
strict structure that are celebrations, usually, of unrequited, idealized love. To give some idea of what these poems are like, here
is an example in English, written by myself:
AN ENGLISH GHAZAL
For Jamil Naqsh
Tonight a pigeon enters her window,
The night is hot, therefore an open window.
What message arrived
With those wings through the window?
A flutter of snow
In the darkness of the window.
You cannot know who speaks
So coolly through her window.
An insolent rival
Sends words through her window.
Many of Jamil Naqsh’s paintings are best thought of as visual ghazals, expressions of a particular state of romantic feeling. Their
general tone, like that of the paintings with pigeons only, is one of nostalgia and longing, but the longing is now also infused by
eroticism.
This year sees a major celebration of the English Pre-Raphaelite Movement, at Tate Britain. The Pre-Raphaelites were the parents
of the European Symbolists who, in turn were the forefathers of many of the most important characteristic of Modernism. In fact,
it is possible to trace a direct line of descent from Rossetti and Burne-Jones to the Picasso of the Blue Period. It is easy to see
how some of Jamil Naqsh’s paintings of pigeons and girls are linked to this line of descent.
It is equally easy to see how these works, more surprisingly perhaps, are linked to states of feeling that play an important part
in the English poetic tradition. The British Raj lurks mysteriously in the background of some of these works. It is perhaps worth
remembering that Rudyard Kipling, the laureate of the Raj, born in 1864, just before the death of Mirza Ghalib, was the nephew
by marriage of none other than Edward Burne-Jones.
Edward Lucie-Smith
Art Historian, Author and Critic
1 Dreaming of Pigeons oil on canvas 122 x 91 cm (48 x 36 in)
2 Exhibition oil on canvas 91 x 91 cm (36 x 36 in)
3 Take Flight oil on canvas 91 x 91 cm (36 x 36 in)
4 Shaded Figure with Pigeon oil on canvas 102 x 76 cm (40 x 30 in)
5 Nude with Doves oil on canvas 122 x 91 cm (48 x 36 in)
6 Black and White oil on canvas 91 x 91 cm (36 x 36 in)
7 Dreaming of Pigeons I oil on canvas 91 x 91 cm (36 x 36 in)
8 A Place to Rest oil on canvas 122 x 91 cm (48 x 36 in)
9 Ladder oil on canvas 122 x 91 cm (48 x 36 in)
10 Pigeon Holed oil on canvas 91 x 91 cm (36 x 36 in)
11 Last to Arrive oil on canvas 91 x 183 cm (36 x 72 in)
12 Gathering oil on canvas 91 x 91 cm (36 x 36 in)
13 Black and White I oil on canvas 91 x 91 cm (36 x 36 in)
14 Entrapment oil on canvas 122 x 76 cm (48 x 30 in)
15 Formation oil on canvas 122 x 91 cm (48 x 36 in)
16 Portrait with Black Pigeons oil on canvas 91 x 91 cm (36 x 36 in)
17 Memories of Doves and Pigeons oil on canvas 91 x 91 cm (36 x 36 in)
18 Floral Pigeons oil on canvas 91 x 91 cm (36 x 36 in)
19 The Ledge oil on canvas 91 x 183 cm (36 x 72 in)
20 Pigeon Review oil on canvas 91 x 91 cm (36 x 36 in)
21 Pigeon Holed I oil on canvas 91 x 91 cm (36 x 36 in)
22 Nude with Doves I oil on canvas 122 x 76 cm (48 x 30 in)
23 A Slice of Light oil on canvas 122 x 91 cm (48 x 36 in)
24 Duo and Pigeon oil on canvas 91 x 91 cm (36 x 36 in)
25 Engagement oil on canvas 91 x 91 cm (36 x 36 in)
26 Peace oil on canvas 122 x 91 cm (48 x 36 in)
27 Figure with Pigeon oil on canvas 122 x 91 cm (48 x 36 in)
28 Pigeon Holed II oil on canvas 91 x 183 cm (36 x 72 in)
29 Pigeon Holed III oil on canvas 91 x 183 cm (36 x 72 in)
30 Duo and Pigeon I oil on canvas 91 x 91 cm (36 x 36 in)
31 Figure with Pigeons oil on canvas 122 x 91 cm (48 x 36 in)
Jamil Naqsh & Edward Lucie-Smith
1939
1953
25 December, Born in Kairana Uttar Paradesh, India
Studied Indian miniature painting with the late Ustad Mohammad Sharif, National Collage of Arts, Lahore
Honours and Awards
2009
2003
1989
1982
1980
1968
1962
1961
Awarded Sitara-e-Imtiaz - Pakistan
Jamil Naqsh; A Retrospective, An extensive retrospective exhibition at Mohatta Palace Museum, Karachi
(to date the only artist to have been thus honoured in his lifetime)
Pride of Performance Award, Pakistan 1989 Pursuit of ‘Excellence Award, The Artist Association of Punjab, Pakistan
Contribution of 20 years as 2 painter, Arts Council of Pakistan
Shakir Ali Award, Ministry of Culture, Government of Pakistan
First prize, national competition by Hamdard National Foundation for poster design to find a cure for
cancer, for display and distribution by W.H.O
Gold Medal, Pakistan Arts Council, Karachi
First prize, Women’s International Club, Karachi
Solo Exhibitions
2011
2010
2009
2008
2005
2003
2001
1999
1998
1997
1996
1971
1967
1965
1963
1962
A Retrospective, Albemarle Gallery, London
Pigeons and a slice of light, Momart art Gallery, Capital Club, Dubai
Pigeons and a slice of light, Momart art Gallery and Jamil Naqsh Museum, Karachi
Homage to Picasso, Momart art Gallery and Jamil Naqsh Museum, Karachi
Homage to Picasso, Nitanjali Art Gallery, at Galerie Romain Rolland, Alliance Francaise de Delhi
Studio Glass Art Gallery, London
Jamil Naqsh: A Retrospective, Mohatta Palace Museum, Karachi
Jamil Naqsh for Najmi Sura, private collection of Najmi Sura, Jamil Naqsh Museum and Momart Art Gallery, Karachi
Magic of the Line, Momart Art Gallery, Karachi
Jamil Naqsh Museum, Karachi
Jamil Naqsh Museum, formal inauguration, Karachi
Homage to Marino Marini, Jamil Naqsh Museum and Momart Art Gallery, Karachi
Mother and Child, dedicated to Dr. Faridon Setna, a private viewing hosted by Meher and Husain Sheriff,
Trustees ofj Jamil Naqsh Foundation
Private viewing hosted by Amina and Jehangir Tareen, Trustees of Jamil Naqsh Foundation, Lahore
Modern Manuscripts, Momart Art Gallery, Karachi
Beyond Words, The Art Gallery, lslamabad
Homage to Marino Marini, Momart Art Gallery, Karachi
Jamil Naqsh Foundation and Museum, established in Karachi
Pakistan Arts Gallery, Karachi
Pakistan Arts Council, Karachi
The Pak-Brazil Friendship Association, Beach Luxury Hotel, Karachi
Pakistan Arts Council, Karachi
Pakistan Arts Council, Lahore
Edward Lucie-Smith addressing guests at the Jamil Naqsh reception. Albemarle Gallery 2011
Special Projects
1977 Mural executed in oil on canvas for the Shakir Ali Museum, Lahore
1974 Mural executed in oil on canvas for the Cancer Society of Pakistan, Karachi, for display and distribution by [he
1973 Calligraphy executed in oil on canvas for the Hamdard National Foundation
1960/8 Served as co-editor of Seep Urdu Literary Quarterly and Arts lnternational 1970-73 President, Pakistan Painters Guild
Group Exhibitions
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1995
1992
1972
1970 1964
1963
1953
Rhythms of Illumination, Nitanjali Art Gallery, Grand Hyatt, Dubai
Resplendent Reveries, Nitanjali Art Gallery, Grand Hyatt, Dubai
Uninterrupted Journeys, Nitanjali Art Gallery, ITC Grand Central, Mumbai
Euphonic Palettes - Dubai, Nitanjali Art Gallery, Grand Hyatt, Dubai
Euphonic Palettes, Nitanjali Art Gallery, Galerie Romain Rolland, Alliance Francaise de Delhi,
sponsored by Deutsche Bank
Pakistani Master’s Show, Nitanjali Art Gallery at Park Hotel, New Delhi
Ibteda - The Beginning, Gandhara - Art.com (Pakistan’s virtual exhibition)
Paintings and Sculptures by 45 Artists, Momart Art Gallery, Karachi
lndian Art Unbound II, Nitanjali Art Gallery at the Grand Hyatt, Dubai
Miniature Show, Momart Art Gallery, Karachi
Modern Calligraphic Paintings & Ceramics, Momart Art Gallery, Karachi
Recent paintings by 23 Painters, Momart Art Gallery, Karachi
Modern Calligraphic Paintings & Ceramics, Momart Art Gallery, Karachi
Modern Calligraphic Paintings & Ceramics, Momart Art Gallery, Karachi
Modern Calligraphic Paintings & Ceramics, Momart Art Gallery, Karachi
Water Colour by 20 Painters, Momart Art Gallery, Karachi
Paintings by 15 Painters, Momart Art Gallery, Karachi
Recent Paintings by 20 Painters, Momart Art Gallery, Karachi
Drawings, Prints & Etchings, Momart Art Gallery, Karachi
Modern Calligraphic Paintings & Ceramics, Momart Art Gallery, Karachi
Modern Calligraphic Paintings & Ceramics, Momart Art Gallery, Karachi
Water Colour Exhibition, Momart Art Gallery, Karachi
Group Show, Momart An Gallery, Karachi
India Asia Museum, Pasadena, CA, U.S.A
Trivandrun and New Delhi
Painters from Pakistan, Pakistan National Council of Arts in Paris, London, Munich, New York,
Sao Paulo, Tokyo, Italy, Libya, Morocco, Ghana and Sudan
Gallerie Christoph Durr, Munich, West Germany
Painters from Pakistan, Ceylon
Painters from Pakistan, Nepal
National Art Competition, Multan
Photography by Guy Lockwood and Changwoo Ryu
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