Biography
Ghulam Hussain is a contemporary visual artist from the city of Hyderabad, Sindh, a home to the world’s oldest civilization called Indus Valley Civilization, Pakistan. He is a trained miniaturist from National College of Arts Lahore, Pakistan, works with High and Low Craft Art to represent the beauty within stark contrasts of what is considered as high and low.
Hussain's work is distinct due to its technique and simplicity, opening up a range of possibilities both for the artist and its viewers. Going back to his roots in Pakistan's province of Sindh, Hussain is challenging the notion of high craft by integrating forms of low-craft, such as weaving and brick building, with the miniature style of painting.
Ajrak and Sindhi Topi are the symbols of Sindhi’s culture and civilization for thousands of years, connected to the civilization of Mohen jo Daro built around 2500 BCE. Ajrak, basically, is a name given to unique block print shawls. Sindhi culture display special designs and pattern in these shawls,rali, charpai weaving and bed sheets which associate Hussain to his childhood memories. Inspired by children's sensibilities and recollection, Hussain constructs his images like the pattern weaved through in paper on canvas. His work deals with the idea of folk art and the innocence of expression both combined and blended in a new manner.
His work has been set forth nationally as well as internationally. Devi Art Foundation Museum New Delhi, India; Fifth Beijing International Art Biennial in National Art Museum China, Award Grant Rockefeller Brothers Artist Residency New York, Award Grant The Artist Students League Artist Residency New York. Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands and Satrang Art Gallery Islamabad, Pakistan have been displayed his work thrivingly.
His visits to New York approached him towards the work of Piet Mondrian and he came up with his flourishing work of Woven Narratives Dialogue with Piet Mondrian in 2015. His work is based on geometric pattern and overlapping techniques through weaving gives a unique impression in form of Art. His recent work confronts the Op Art with the Sindh Craft Arts is one more stride towards the Art’s World.
