LAHORE  -  Two significant exhibitions, A Restrenched Grace and Bleeding Borders, are currently being held at the Zahoor-ul-Akhlaq Gallery, NCA here  on Tuesday. These exhibitions showcase two distinct types of artworks. A Restrenched Grace features sketches by Master Bashiruddin, his paintings and archival materials related to his life. Master Bashiruddin served as both a student and a teacher at the Mayo School of Industrial Arts, which later became the National College of Arts. On the other hand, Bleeding Borders presents the works of contemporary artist Amin Rehman, based in Toronto, Canada. These exhibitions are being held as part of the celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of the Mayo School of Arts and the NCA and the event has been curated by Zahreen Murtaza. The exhibition was inaugurated at the NCA Lahore and will be displayed at the National Art Gallery, Islamabad, from Dec 2 to 15. Master Bashiruddin, born in Kasur, studied painting at the Mayo School of Arts and taught at Mayo School and the National College of Arts Lahore  from 1953 to 1982. He was a renowned painter, particularly known for his distinctive wash painting technique. This exhibition features forty rare sketches by Master Bashiruddin for the first time. A catalog accompanying this section includes research articles by Salima Hashmi, Asim Akhtar, and Zahreen Murtaza. The second gallery showcases the project Bleeding Borders by Master Bashiruddin’s son, Amin Rehman.

With a deep interest in history, Amin Rehman has traveled along various historical trade routes and focused on the lives of different communities living in Pakistan’s border regions. His works are the result of his research and observations, depicting the stories and lives of people along the Pakistan-India, Iran, and Afghanistan borders. His forty mixed-media artworks, including neon signs and video projections, shed light on the lives of people in border areas, the history of colonization, and the current political situation in those regions.  A catalog accompanying the Bleeding Borders section includes essays by Dr Lee Rodney, Minar Abu Touk, Warda Naseer, Asim Akhtar, and Zahreen Murtaza. Vice Chancellor, NCA Lahore Prof Dr Murtaza Jafri, in his statement said, “These exhibitions not only highlight the magnificence of our artistic heritage but also honor the remarkable contributions of two eminent artists, Master Bashiruddin and Amin Rehman. Master Bashiruddin’s teachings have inspired generations, while Amin Rehman’s contemporary works expand our horizons in terms of borders, identity, and history.”