ISLAMABAD: Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting arranged an exhibition “Interpretations of Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s Poetry” by Aslam Kamal on Thursday at National Art Gallery (NAG).

Artist’s 42 paintings are based on poetry of Faiz. The event is part of Faiz’s centenary celebrations organised by Lahore Museum. The artist has tried to elaborate Faiz’s poetry and its various aspects. The artist in his works has illustrated some of popular poems such as `Aaj Bazar Mein Pabjolan chalo’ and `Dashat-e-Tanhai’.

Kamal not only gave an everlasting honor to Faiz but also donated his large canvas titled ‘Aaj Bazaar mein Pabjolan Chalo’ to NAG saying “this illustration would surely help visitors to ‘have a chit chat’ with Faiz.”

The interpretations of poetic collection ‘Nuskha ha ay wafa’ of Faiz, one of the finest poets in Urdu, is illustrated by an eminent painter, calligrapher, illustrator, designer, writer and poet Kamal who met Faiz in 1977 at his solo exhibition interpreting Iqbal’s poetry. Since then Kamal, has done extensively not only illustrating the poetic work of Iqbal, and Ghalib but used his brush strokes for Faiz to spread his message of love, peace and equality. Kamal said Faiz is not just a poet of romanticism but he was a philosopher who always raised his voice against disparity. “The collection presented in the exhibition is an illustrative depiction of Faiz’s thoughts and inspiration, composed in a most inspiring and effective diction,” he said.

“I have been honored to spend a lot of time with Faiz. And my illustrations are also has reflections of Faiz’s personal traits as well. His personality has multidimensional aspects. Faiz is illustrated in few of my paintings with paper stick in his hand as he was a chain smoker,” Kamal said. He also said few of his illustrations highlights the feelings of Faiz in a particular time when Faiz was in a trance.

Kamal further said his illustrations about over 550 intellectuals, writers and poets put up in Pakistan Academy of Letters is a unique work. “Over 20,000 dust covers are having the interpretations done by me. No one in the world has so far done it. That is why I have been nominated for Guinness Book of the World Record, the artist claimed.

PNCA Director General addressing on the occasion said that Faiz Ahmed Faiz was appointed the first chairman of the PNCA. “Faiz was among the founder fathers of this council that is why PNCA has arranged a series of events to celebrate 2011 as Faiz Ahmed Faiz year. There are a lot of activities in the pipeline to pay glowing tributes to this legend poet, he added.Daily Times.