Sadequain

1) His life:

Syed Sadequain Ahmed Naqvi, also known as Sadequain Naqqash, was a Pakistani artist best known for his calligraphy and painting abilities. He is regarded as one of Pakistan’s greatest painters and calligraphers. Sadequain was born on June 30, 1923, in Amroha, to a calligrapher family. In the late 1940s, he became a member of the Progressive Writers and Artists Movement. Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, who launched Sadequain into the spotlight, discovered his true talent. He also spent some time in Paris honing his craft. Sadequain exhibited his work on every continent during his lifetime. His exhibitions in foreign countries were sponsored at the state level and drew large crowds from all walks of life. Sadequain died on February 10, 1987, at the age of 63, in Karachi, Pakistan. He was laid to rest in Karachi’s Sakhi Hassan graveyard.

2) Importance of his art:

Sadequain was a self-taught painter and calligrapher who created a mysterious and mystic environment with his bold and uninhibited use of media and lines. He had a cult-like following during his lifetime. His distinct style, whether in paintings or calligraphy, became known as “Khat-e-Sadequain” and developed primarily during his stay at Gadani, a Karachi seaside desert. Sadequain’s influences and interests were diverse, owing in part to the fact that he had no fixed relationship with location. In his personal life, he was often adrift, and he did not centre himself on any geographical boundaries, allowing the multiplicity of contexts to enrich his practise. In fact, one of his important recurring symbols, cacti, were seen and absorbed by him during his travels to Gadani on the coast of Balochistan. Sadequain witnessed the wild growth of cactus in the scorching heat of the desert, where water was scarce and conditions were harshest. Despite this, the cactus grew tall, shooting upwards against all odds. The powerful symbol of the defiant cactus pervades Sadequain’s work and leaves an indelible impression on the observer.

His literary allegories and symbolism were frequently inspired by his immediate realities and the struggles of a working individual caught in the agony of early modernity. His understanding of the collective social ethos influenced the undercurrent of his work. In the public murals he completed at the State Bank of Pakistan, Frere Hall, Lahore Museum, Mangla Dam, and other public locations, he was able to push this understanding to extraordinary dimensions, both physical and metaphorical. Despite being commissioned by the government to work on these murals, Sadequain remained unruly in his own right. He used calligraphy, which is typically reserved for religious expressions, to express secular ideas. Some of his calligraphic work contains hints of subversive erotic elements. While avoiding over-identification with the state, he also found himself outside of academic art circles. This is an important point to consider today. Sadequain was able to occupy a place unto himself — an elsewhere of his own — in a situation where the trajectory of art is primarily determined by academia.

3) His influence on Pakistani culture:

Over thirty-five of his monumental murals adorn the halls of State Bank, Frere Hall Karachi, Lahore Museum, Punjab University, Mangla Dam, Aligarh Muslim University, Banaras Hindu University, Indian Institute of Geological Sciences, Islamic Institute in Delhi, and Abu Dhabi Power House, among others. His paintings and calligraphies cover over 7,000 square feet in the Islamic Institute building in Delhi alone. Sadequain’s first murals were created in the 1950s at Jinnah Hospital and the PIA headquarters. These murals have vanished, and it is unknown what happened to them. In 1961, he completed the massive mural “Treasures of Time” in the Karachi headquarters of the State Bank of Pakistan, depicting man’s intellectual progress from Socrates to Iqbal and Einstein. It is a linear creation that depicts a pageant of Greek intellectuals and thinkers, Middle Eastern mathematicians and chemists, European Renaissance scholars, and 20th-century laureates.

Sadequain painted the ceiling of the Lahore Museum’s entrance hall, depicting the Evolution of Mankind, as well as nine large calligraphic panels for the Islamic Gallery. The mural “Quest of Knowledge” can be found in Punjab University’s library. The mural depicts an academic theme appropriate for the educational institution where it is housed. Young men and women are depicted holding the key to learning, which unlocks riches in their lives. The mural is mounted high up against the main library’s ceiling and appears to be in good condition.

The ceiling of Karachi’s Frere Hall bears the words Arz-o-Samawat (Earth and the Heavens) in bold, which has historical significance because it represents Sadequain’s final piece of work. He died before completing it. Before beginning to paint the magnificent mural on the ceiling, he dedicated it to the people of Karachi. The mural is for the people to treasure, and it should be treated as a national treasure. However, due to security concerns, citizens are barred from entering Frere Hall, and the impressive historical structure, as well as the Mural, are in desperate need of repair. The bright colors Sadequain used in the mural to depict the Earth and the Heavens are fading away because of the environmental conditions.

Sadequain was instrumental in reviving Islamic calligraphy in Pakistan. He was one of Pakistan’s greatest calligraphers, and he was instrumental in transforming the art of calligraphy into serious expressionist paintings. He claimed that divine inspiration was responsible for his transformation into a calligrapher. Until Sadequain adapted this medium in the late 1960s, the art of calligraphy was relegated to a second-class status in Pakistan. Until then, a few painters had experimented with the medium, but it remained merely an experiment. Sadequain’s transformation of calligraphy into a mainstream art form influenced the majority of known Pakistani artists, and calligraphic art now dominates the art scene.

One of his most powerful works is the 200×30 foot mural for the Mangla Dam’s Power House. He finished it in an incredible three months, working day and night. The mural is appropriately titled “The Saga of Labor.” The mural, one of the largest in the world, depicts humanity’s history. It pays homage to its characters, who are all laborers and workers confronted with and struggling against nature’s powerful elements.

Sadequain was a social critic. He created his message on canvas using powerful symbols and vibrant colors. He was known for addressing specific situations through a series of paintings that followed a common theme while maintaining their individuality. His symbols evolved over time as he adapted to changing circumstances. Sadequain forms a very integral part of the fabric of Pakistani culture.