Mian Ijaz Ul Hassan

THE WAY IT WAS: The Afghanistan I saw —Mian Ijaz Ul Hassan

Afghanistan had great ethnic, scenic and cultural diversity. It also had streams of cascading colours ranging from turquoise to rust. Above all it was a country at peace with itself. Looking back at Afghanistan, it’s proud mountains, quiet valleys and leisurely pace of life one can only choke over old memories In 1968 it only […]

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THE WAY IT WAS: The absurd and absurdity —Mian Ijaz Ul Hassan

 If an artwork is resurrected by language, should it be called art or literature? It is ironic that art that rejected description and narration — because they were the spheres of literature — should itself become a slave to words depending on them to explain itself, its meaning and content When in love, every youth

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THE WAY IT WAS: Sweep it under the prayer mat —Mian Ijaz Ul Hassan

 The artist confessed that there were a number of works that focused on individual suffering, which he thought he wouldn’t share with others. They were too intimately tragic. But in the end he broke his resolve and shared them with others in order to stop it from happening again. Choices are not easy Sometimes I

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THE WAY IT WAS: Standing this side of the window —Mian Ijaz Ul Hassan

Indolence is not regarded a virtue but believe me it is not something which can be easily acquired either. I know many precious lives wasted in an effort at cultivating it. Indolence may lead to endearing private aberrations but it rarely leads to laudable public vice How can an artist know a subject without having

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THE WAY IT WAS: Stability and poise in things at rest —Mian Ijaz Ul Hassan

There are some people who believe that our nuclear technology programme is also a by-product of our aphrodisiac concerns. I don’t believe that this can be true. It is a pity that it has become a habit with us to be constantly frivolous In the colonial days the blacks and browns were encouraged to abandon

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THE WAY IT WAS: Sobering thoughts for a new year —Mian Ijaz Ul Hassan

Abdul Butt, who must have the last word in almost anything, adds, that while Chaudhry Rehmat Elahi was vaingloriously laying down strong foundations for his haveli, he cared little for his own foundations that were about to crumble The New Year is already a fortnight old. It was ushered in only yesterday with jubilant functions.

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THE WAY IT WAS: Sexing up paintings —Mian Ijaz Ul Hassan

Sadeqain’s studied manner, lazy intonations, dramatic pauses and unexpected asides, would leave the listener mystified. Those who were jealous of his articulate skills called it verbosity. I think he was eloquent and could occasionally be amusing In the late fifties when it became fashionable for artists to sex up their paintings with abstract elements, Sadeqain’s

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