LAHORE – If one could ever suspend the moments of a lifetime, it is through photographs. This is exactly the feeling that runs through Alhamra’s Exhibition Gallery where the pictures of Faiz Ahmed’s life from all perspectives have been displayed, reminiscing his pensive and happy moments, along with seeing him standing at the forefront as if he is still among us, alive and well.
IN LOVE WITH LIFE, WHEN WITH HIS WIFE: Beautiful black and white portraits of Faiz depict him as a man in love with life, his family and his friends, smiling, cheerful, and unperturbed by almost anything. None of the pain that one can sometimes feel in his poetry can be seen on his face, although his eyes do flicker with a kind of melancholy, but never to be more overpowering by his toothy
smiles, especially when he is seen with family and friends,
and his beloved wife Alys.
A CIGARETTE WITH SOME TEA, IN A POETIC SPREE: The exhibition starts off by a portrait photograph of Faiz having tea, looking off the camera, holding a cigarette between his fingers. He is old in this picture, his hair white, and face full of experience and wisdom. The next few pictures show him to be a young man, some portraits extremely straight forward with a simple composition, only to be highlighted by Faiz’s light hearted half smile.
Some of his shots are quite nostalgic, especially one where he is sitting in his garden reading a book, and another where he is on a chair, Alys standing and grinning right behind him.
WORK AT EASE, NEED NOT SAY CHEESE: Slowly we are revealed to the intellectual side of Faiz, as we see him sitting behind his desk, some shots from Karachi, others from Lahore. He wears thick, black framed glasses, somehow comical in today’s day and age, while at the same time being reminiscent of a symbol of intellect. He is so deeply engrossed in his work; reading or writing that he is hardly aware of the photographer (it is interesting to wonder who that might have been in all these instances).
CHIVALROUS AND SLICK, ON EDITING HE’S QUICK: We can also see what Faiz looked like, when he was the editor of the daily Pakistan Times (one of the best edited paper in Asia), sometime before partition, his hair slicked back, a light mustache highlighting his mouth, the prototype of a vivacious young journalist from back in the 1950s. In a more laid back pose he is smiling at someone or something off camera, his fingers interlaced behind his head, arms wide open, showing his open personality.
AND AFFABLE INDEED, CARES NO CASTE OR CREED: With friends, Faiz is again seen as a sociable, affable character, earning the friendship of the intellectuals of not only Pakistan, but also abroad. He is seen dressed up in a traditional Kazakh costume while visiting his friend, Russian poet Rasul Hamzatov, with his friend Col Majeed Malik in Karachi, with Sajjad Zaheer, Ahmad Faraz, and Iftikhar Arif.
His public appearances include those at mushairas, seminars, celebrations, and on being released from jail in Rawalpindi, and being received by friends and family, including poet MD Taseer and his children. He has memorable moments with his children Salima and Moneeza, and also with his grandchildren. He is seen at the nikah ceremony of Salima, sitting next to his son in law Shoaib Hashmi.
For even those who have not had a chance of reading Faiz’s poetry, this exhibition is something that must be seen. It is equal to understanding Faiz from new and original levels which have never been shown or mentioned to the general public before. The exhibition will continue till February 13, 2011.
