Subtlety key feature of Hajra’s ‘Tales of Love’

Islamabad: A solo exhibition of paintings by Hajra Mansoor, one of Pakistan’s most eminent watercolour painters, opens at Gallery6 today (Thursday), with Islamabad’s Mayor and Chairman of the Capital Development Authority Anser Aziz performing the inauguration.

Titled ‘The Tales of Love,’ the exhibition offers 21 paintings, each depicting a moment in a tale of love. The paintings depict aesthetically composed women in different positions, some are seen combing their hair, holding a ‘surma dani,’ donning jewellery, or adorning themselves in different ways, as if getting ready to meet their beloved. Others have a pigeon or a peacock with them as if sharing their secrets of love. Some are depicting a new light or hope in their life through love. The facial features of the women, use of romantic elements, and movement of brush strokes creates the mood of the composition.

On entering the gallery, one gets drowned in the rainbow of colours as each painting has a distinct palette. The canvases are in dominating orange, pink, blue, green, brown, etc. Hajra paints these women portraits with her imagination, without having any human model posing for her and succeeds in creating magical beauty.

Over the years, Hajra has produced astonishing paintings in her distinguished style that creates a positive and pleasing ambiance. She is inspired by traditional art but blends it with modern aesthetics and feel. She derives her inspiration from the Asian ideals of beauty and focuses on promoting and enhancing them by exaggerating features like big coloured eyes, exceptionally pure skin with a tinge of pink, and delicate lips along with articulating hand gestures.

Hajra graduated from Government College of Art and Craft, Lucknow, in 1964 and then migrated to Karachi. There, with her sister Rabia Zuberi, she established the first private sector art school in her home and named it Karachi School of Art. Over the years, it has grown into a major art institution that has produced well-known artists. In the 1980s, Hajra moved to Islamabad with her husband Mansoor Rahi and the couple has been leading an active life in art and otherwise.

Hajra has the unique distinction of having had a solo show almost every year from graduation to date. Besides various cities of Pakistan, she has exhibited her work in Bangladesh, India, China, Japan, Turkey, Iran, France, England, Germany, Hong Kong and America.

Hajra continues to impart art education in a private manner with her husband Mansoor Rahi in their studio. Instead of specialized courses, the couple offer apprenticeships to artists exhibiting their paintings both nationally and internationally. Hence, they have worked extensively in developing a culture of artists and art appreciation.

Hajra has won several prizes and awards in national and international exhibitions. For her services, she was decorated with the President's Pride of Performance Award in 2009. The exhibition will continue till September 7 daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (except Eid holidays). The paintings attract viewers because of their subtlety and unique compositions.