Born in Delhi, India, 1941–died in Lahore, 1999

A Visit to the Inner Sanctum 4
1996
Acrylic on canvas
H. 83 x W. 56 in. (210.8 x 142.2 cm)
Collection of Nurjahan Akhlaq and Sheherezade Alam
Image courtesy of Richard Seck

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Untitled
1991
Acrylic on canvas
H. 53 x W. 36 in. (134.6 x 91.4 cm)
Collection of Nurjahan Akhlaq and Sheherezade Alam
Image courtesy of Richard Seck

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There is no such thing as a concept of painting. If there is . . . it is always changing.
The most interesting part [of creating a painting] is when you suddenly realize it is finished. I may not paint for a while and then it comes. And whenever I start again, the first paintings I do tend to be in black colors. Division of space is very important in Oriental paintings. I am very influenced by this concept, and also by the rhythm of calligraphy, so after painting for some time in oils, I moved to just plain forms. . . . But please don’t call my work abstract. Abstraction is a term which belongs to a particular age in the history of art. (1986)