On his ninth death anniversary,Eqbal Mehdi’s works exhibited at Arts Council

The Karachi Arts Council held an exhibition of the late Eqbal Mehdi’s works to coincide with his ninth death anniversary. The exhibition was co-arranged by the late artist’s daughter, Leesa Mehdi, whose works were also featured.

The paintings were in that typical Mehdi style; a very welcome escape from modern art that did not keep the viewer guessing. The works, it could be said, were an exercise in realism.

The late Mehdi seemed to have a real taste for the female form and all his subjects are portrayed in an exemplary manner – one that accentuates the beauty of the subject and enhances the beholder’s view.

Besides, he seems to have a grasp over country life and one of his paintings depicts a scene in a village with a dilapidated house and a goat tethered in the courtyard.

Then there’s the painting of ostensibly an old Pashtun man; a meditative study in old age. Also there’s the dancing horses moving to the beat of drums, a popular rural pastime.

Eqbal’s talent seems to have been fully inherited by his daughter, Leesa. Apart from her sketches, there were also her miniatures, all meticulously done.

However, most art fans had to return disappointed as there was such a lot of commotion and disarray on account of Bilawal Bhutto’s arrival. The overly paranoid security of the place had been taken over by the overzealous party ‘jiyalas’ who really bothered both the visitors and the media. 

At the Manzar Akbar Hall where the exhibition was being held, there was no way one could see anything as the party enthusiasts had formed a protective ring around Bilawal and none could see who all were there. Given the commotion, it became impossible to view the works. It was only after the chief guest left that one could browse around.