Revisiting the cafes of Lahore

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Samina W. Perozani
Traditionally known as the city of art and culture, Lahore has captured many an artist’s imagination trying to focus on the essence of the city. This is exactly what Amjad Naeem has focused on in his current exhibition – the nightlife of roadside cafes in Lahore. On display at the Art Scene Gallery in Karachi, this is Naeem’s first solo exhibition in the city.

There are 28 oil-on-canvas paintings on display at the exhibition. Landscapes as well as the café culture of the city which, according to Naeem, “form a huge part of the night life in Lahore” have been painted on most of them. “People spend hours at these cafes and leave in the wee hours of the morning,” he said.

The artist’s use of bright colours lends character and depth to the scenes he has portrayed. “The use of colour is to show the contrast between the varying shades of the night,” he explained. The glaring lights and darkened figures seem to carry with them a sense of despair and their quiet, submissive acceptance of what life has to offer them. Particularly interesting are the paintings titled ‘Lahore Cantt Station’, ‘Mall Road’, ‘Ravi Cafeteria’ and ‘Anarkali’ because they speak volumes about the distinct ‘personality’ of parts of old Lahore.

The extensive textures in his paintings seem to have a Van Gogh-esque feel to them. In fact, his depictions of Anarkali and Lahore’s food street are reminiscent of the ‘Starry night’ series by Van Gogh. “A lot of people have told me that,” said Naeem, talking about his inspiration. “It is not a conscious decision though but maybe at some level, my work draws its inspiration from Van Gogh’s work,” he added.

Amjad Naeem has done his Master’s in Fine Arts from Punjab University. He’s had various group exhibitions in both Lahore and Karachi and is currently teaching at the Arts Council, Lahore. Naeem said that the response to his first solo exhibition has been quite encouraging so far and hoped it would continue this way in future. The exhibition will go on till April 1 and the gallery is open till 9.00 p.m.

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