Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) arranged an art exhibition and condolence reference at the National Art Gallery (NAG) on Tuesday to commemorate landscape painter Ghulam Rasul’s second death anniversary.
PNCA Director General Tauqir Nasir, while remembering Rasul’s work, demanded that Capital Development Authority (CDA) name a road in sector F-10 after Ghulam Rasul as it was the area where the painter lived for a large period of time.
Argentinean Ambassador Rodolfo J Martin Saravia, while inaugurating the exhibition, said: “It is hard to say something about Rasul. He was an excellent artist, learned teacher, loving husband and a very down to earth human being.
“His work is immediately recognisable. The optimism and joy in his paintings speak for themselves. I have bought a couple of paintings that I will take back to Argentina with me.”
Nasir said: “Art is a passion and Rasul’s work had reached its pinnacle.”
Rawalpindi College Fine Arts Department head and Rasul’s former student, Maimoona Khan, said: “He always pushed his students.
He encouraged students and teachers alike, and often invited them outdoors to paint.”
Ghulam Rasul, who was best known for his impressions of Islamabad, studied the history and theory of art. He also served as PNCA’s director general and was termed ‘an academy of art’. Around 80 of his paintings were exhibited at the gallery along with a replica of his studio.
His daughter Rabia Rasul, close associate Hashim Babar, and Musarrat Naheed Imam spoke on the occasion saying Rasul’s paintings were known by the GR signature embossed on them. Nasir, PNCA officials, diplomats, artists, fine arts students and various art lovers from the twin cities attended the exhibition.
PNCA pays tribute to painter Ghulam Rasul
