A doctor with a paintbrush

Here, we have an enigmatic figure, a doctor by profession and a budding artist by instinct which has incidentally been lying dormant for twenty six years, in which time he did his doctorate and now has a highly successful hospital. He had joined NCA for a couple of month only to be unceremoniously taken out by his parents and put into medical profession….”
Colin David, one of the Pakistan’s most prominent artists of the 1970s, made these remarks about Dr Afzal Ali Syed, who is not only a successful ophthalmologist but also a passionate painter and landscaper of the city. Dr Syed shares his vision about interior design, landscaping and concept development in an exclusive interview with Pakistan Today.
Highlighting the significance of landscaping and exterior design, he said, “Whenever we build or renovate our house, we always spend a major chunk of resources on the interior design. Though, it seems wise as we spend most of our time inside the house, but by spending a few bucks on the exterior we can add value to our house. Good exterior always attracts house tenants to spend some quality time outdoors.”
Responding to a question, he underscored, “It is a wrong perception that acquiring a designer’s services would always force you to break a bank. But you can beautify your house or completely change its theme and ambiance by unconventional manipulation of existing elements, while putting little burden on your pocket. All of it depends on aesthetics of the client and designer’s expertise.”
Speaking about the design cycle and standard working practices, he said usually, his team of creative design professionals at AASAF first interviews clients and try to understand what excites them, and then they propose a couple of ideas while considering their budget limitations and availability of existing materials that could be creatively used to revamp the look and feel. And if someone has a good amount of money and time, AASAF suggests removing elements that are not working, rethinks existing space, keeps great things, thin out and add additional structure and plants to make it all the more interesting.
Dr Syed said he always tried to bring ‘character’ to his projects. It did not matter, whether it was a home or an office, a hospital or a banquet hall. He pointed out that he had successfully completed almost all types of private and commercial projects, including homes, farm houses, hospitals, banquet halls and offices. Apart from landscaping, his passion for painting is remarkable. He symbolises his paintings like his ‘daughters’ who are born to bring happiness for their parents, husband, in-laws and their offspring. His recent work, ‘Hanstay Zakham’ is a story without words, a tale untold, where one can see endless secrets behind high walls, the fragrance of which will intoxicate the mind and delight the soul. He underscored that in this particular series, he passed through great pain, misery, desolation, despair, agony and distress, which otherwise could not have been expressed in words.