SIALKOT- The fans of a Sialkot-based artist, painter and calligrapher have established an art gallery here on self-help basis. It was titled as Bashir Kanwar Art Gallery.
Gujranwala Arts Council Director Abdul Halim Khan inaugurated and opened it for the visitors during a prestigious ceremony. Sialkot-based author and poet Ashfaq Niaz, who had 27 years long association with Bashir Ahmed Kanwar (Late), has been appointed as the chairman of the Art Gallery.
Ashfaq Niaz said that he was proud to be a companion of Bashir Kanwar who served his life for the promotion of arts. He said that the fans of Bashir Kanwar have established the art gallery on self-help basis to promote art and keeping the unmatched precious work of late Bashir Kanwar alive. They have taken a big step to establish the art gallery even after four and half months of the death of the artist.
He said that it was the first ever art gallery in Sialkot, as it gets its first ever art gallery after decades long wait. He said that hundreds of paintings, unique art work and calligraphy works have been displayed at the art gallery, which has also been affiliated with the Gujranwala Arts Council. He said that it would provide a unique opportunities to the local artists to display their work there.
Ashfaq Niaz sought governmental patronage for the art gallery, saying that the Sialkot District Council and Sialkot Municipal Corporation come forward to patronise the gallery and encourage the local artists for the promotion of art in Sialkot region.