M. Shafique Rana

Mashkoor was born in 1948 in Moradabad, India, after which his family migrated to Pakistan. He attended the reputed Karachi School of Art (KSA) and graduated in 1972 with a gold medal. He was a renowned artist worldwide and demonstrated versatility in his style working in abstract, figurative or calligraphy. His distinct style with images appearing through the layers won him great acclaim. The artist sadly passed away February 2025.

Noreen’s artworks are inspired by the Arabic Language. Her “Alif” series artworks highlight the importance of Alif, the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, concept of oneness, the first existence, the beginning of all things and is symbolic of God’s absolute oneness. The shape of Alif resembles the numeral 1 reinforcing the concept of God’s unity and the concept of ‘the one’. Noreen uses letters from the Arabic alphabet in abstract form and each of her series isolates and highlights one particular alphabet.

Hailing from Karachi, Pakistan, Behzad is on the forefront of the younger generation of Pakistani artists. He transforms colors on the canvas into mesmerizing stances. The starkness of the red and black colors of his artworks command attention. He is the recipient of a gold medal in Fine Arts from the Arts Council of Pakistan in 2022.

An artist from Punjab, Pakistan, Awais Ahmed is treasure trove of talent. Developing his artistic talents Awais moved from watercolors and charcoal sketches to oil on canvas. His ‘Malang Series’ highlights impressive techniques in portrait art and he encaptures the Malang in movement swaying as a devotee. One can almost picture his turbaned Malangs sitting as a devotee at a shrine.