Sometimes, rediscovering one’s home city after a hiatus can bring to life many aspects that may not have been apparent earlier. And, when the person who sets out to discover the inner by-lanes of a city is an artist, it makes for an interesting visual narration that combines architecture and a caricature-like depiction of its people.
Pakistani artist Kamal Hyat is exhibiting his paintings in the Capital at a show that has been titled
The Lahore Series which is his take on Lahore, a city he returned to after retirement from his job in the Development Sector. Kamal who has dabbled in art all his life but never studied it or took it up formally until after retirement, has a unique style.
Kamal says “I used to paint a lot but never exhibited it as I was afraid of doing so. It was after much coaxing by a colleague that I had my first show that brought my works out from behind a curtain to show to the world. Two of my works were than acquired by a museum and hung on a wall with other famous artists. It is then that I came out of my shell. I now am a full-time artist and have in this series painted experiences that I have had wandering around Lahore.”
The artist has used many styles to paint his impression of Lahore. A large part of the series resemble a doll's house. In these works, he captures the architecture of many of the buildings in the older parts of Lahore and brings in characters he has encountered during his visits to the area.