Tassaduq Sohail was born in Jalandhar in 1930 and studied at London-based Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design.
Sohail had been living in England for a number of years and only recently returned to Pakistan. Being a short-story writer, a striking feature of his works is the titles of his paintings. They seem to have a profound connection with the images, depicting the cynicism and the scorn of the artist.
A remarkable feature is his ability to say a lot in very limited space. His work is almost in miniature style, painting fetching details on minute canvases. He claims his best works stem from bouts of depression. “I express my state of mind, regardless of how it will be interpreted,” he says. His work is primarily narrative, and is laden with symbols. Trees, caves, old castles, fish, mermaids, and nudes often appear in his paintings.
People like his work because they sense a story in it. The symbols in his paintings are not for decoration. “They provide my art with depth and meaning. They add a surreal touch that is very important, and makes a painting more than just an image,” he explains.
Photos courtesy VASL Art
