Bio Data – Sadequain Foundation

COMPREHENSIVE BIO DATA – 1930s – 1980s

1930	Born in Amroha, UP, India.
1935	Admitted to ancestral school, Imam-ul-Madaris in Amroha.
1940	Demonstrated early signs of artistic talent.
1941	Manually inscribed and duplicated entire textbook of geography.
1942	Manually drew the contents of a world atlas.
1943	Painted on the walls of neighborhood homes a world map tracking troop movements of World War II.
1945	Composed a 46 “bund” marsia in commemoration of the death of his sister. Completed high school, appointed art teacher at his alma mater. Drew a portrait of Mr. Naqvi.
1945	Composed, inscribed, compiled more poetry.
1946	Moved to Delhi and upon an impromptu demonstration of talent for penmanship on a street corner, secured a job offer on the spot as a professional inscriber of Urdu text for All India Radio.
1947	Inscribed for All India Radio, the poetry collections of classical Urdu poets and sketched their portraits for official catalogs.
1948	Graduated from Agra University in Art History and Geography. Migrated to Pakistan.
1949	Stayed at Sujawal with his brother. Composed inscribed, compiled, and bound the collections of ghazal, nazm and marsia, later privately published entitled, Juz-way-Bosida.
1950	Worked at Agricultural College in Sakrand as an illustrator in Botany Department.
1951	Stayed in Quetta for several months with his brother and sketched pen and ink portraits of Baluchi nomads and landscape drawings.
1952	Worked at Radio Pakistan Karachi as an assistant program producer.
1953	Compiled his first catalog of drawings and portraits of common people on streets and trains, as well as family members.
1954	Solo exhibition at the Quetta Town Hall of 35 selected works. Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy visited Sadequain’s home, Sibtain Manzil for a preview of paintings.
1955
July	Solo exhibition at the residence of Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy in Clifton.
October	Executed two murals at Jinnah Hospital Karachi Ward number 5.
1956	Painted full-time at home, Sibtain Manzil in Nazimabad Karachi.
1957
April	Solo exhibition at the Frere Hall in Karachi, inaugurated by Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy.
December	Executed a mural, 45 x 8 feet for the Karachi Airport Departure Lounge.
1958
July	Exhibition sponsored by the Quetta Fine Arts Society in Quetta. Jamshed Marker, an eminent art collector, booked all the paintings.
September	Established studio at seaside village of Gadani.
December	Executed the mural “Smuggler”.
1959
July	Executed a mural for the Committee Room at Mangla Dam on the subject of Dignity of Labor.
November	Executed a mural “Quest for Knowledge” at the Services Club in Karachi.
1960
January	Exhibition at the Town Hall Quetta. None of the paintings was for sale. After the exhibition, he gifted the entire collection to a photographer friend.
March	Awarded “Tamgha-e-Imtiaz” by the president of Pakistan.
July	First Prize in the All Pakistan National Exhibition of Paintings for the painting titled “Man at Sandspit.”
December	Left for France at the invitation of the French Committee of the International Association of Plastic Arts.
1961
August-October	Executed the largest mural in Pakistan at the time, “Treasures of Time” and 11 smaller murals and metallic cut-out sculptures for the headquarters of the State Bank of Pakistan, Karachi.
September-October	Participated in Biennale of Paris and awarded “Laureate Biennale de Paris” by the International Jury of Critics.
1962
March	Awarded “President’s Medal for Pride of Performance.”
June-July	Exhibition at Musee Maision du Culture, Le Havre, France.
October	One-man exhibition at Galerie Lambert, Paris. Permanent display at Galerie Mona Lisa, Paris.
1963
May-August	Visited USA, UK, and France.
August	Exhibition at Henry Gallery, Washington.
October-November	Exhibition at the Commonwealth Institute Galeries, London.
December	Exhibition at the N.V.C. Gallery, London. Exhibition in the 5th Salon of the “Young and Great Artists” at the Museum of Modern Art, Paris.
1964
February	Exhibition at Galerie Presbourg, Paris. Selected to do color lithographs for a special publication of the novel by Albert Camus, L’ Étranger (The Stranger) published by the Automobile Club of France.
August-September	Worked on lithographs for The Stranger.
September	Paid visit to Karachi.
November	Returned to Paris to continue work on The Stranger.
1965	Participated in several exhibitions in France.
February	Exhibition at Nouran Le Havre.
April-May	Exhibition at Palais de la Mediterrinean. Exhibition at Chateau-Musee Annecy. Exhibition at Musee Casino Dieppe. Exhibition at Casino de Charbonnieres. Exhibition at Musee Macon.
June	Came back to Karachi.
August	Exhibition at the Arts Council Gallery, Karachi.
September	Exhibition at Alhamra, Lahore.
October-November	Executed the mural “War and Peace” at Karachi.
1966
May	Exhibition of drawings at Hotel Intercontinental Karachi.
July	Retrospective exhibition of 300 paintings at the Banking Hall of the State Bank of Pakistan, Karachi. Exhibition on Lloyd Triestino’s ship “Victoria” while crossing the Red Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and the Adriatic Sea.
August	Executed a mural in Lausanne, Switzerland entitled “Pakistan” in the Pakistan Pavilion in the Swiss Fair. Later on, that mural was reported to be exhibited in New York, Tokyo and Toronto, Canada.
September	Exhibition in Lausanne, Switzerland.
October	Exhibition sponsored by Automobile Club of France, Place de la Concorde, Paris. Executed a mural “Flight” in the PIA Office at Paris.
1967
April	Accompanied his father from Paris to perform “ziaraat” in Iraq. He was deeply impressed by the calligraphic inscriptions on the holy shrines.
May	Executed mural “Flight II” in Karachi (for a friend’s travel agency).
August-October	Executed the mural “Saga of Labor” at Mangla Dam Power House.
December	Executed a Mural “Light of the Book” in the Punjab Public Library.
1968
January	Executed the mural “Quest for Knowledge II” for the library of the Punjab University.
February	Executed two murals for the Auditorium of Punjab University titled, “Confrontation” and “Triumph”.
March	Exhibition of murals and paintings at “Alhamra” in Lahore.
April	Transformed the unfinished auditorium of the Pakistan Institute of International Affairs into a painting workshop.
August	Held series of expositions of paintings at the PIA Auditorium.
September	Exhibition of series of paintings titled “Barbed Wire”.
October	Exhibition of collection of mystic figurations including “Reflection Series”.
November	Exposition of 25 paintings, illustration on the verses of Mirza Ghalib. Extended inscription of Ghalib’s verses to calligraphy of Quranic Verses.
December	Exposition of the calligraphies of verses of the Holy Quran executed during the month of Ramzan.
1969
February-March	Additional 25 paintings based on the poetry of Ghalib and inscribed corresponding verses on wooden tablets.
April	Executed calligraphy of Ghalib’s poetry on wooden tablets.
May	Exposition of 50 paintings based on the poetry of Ghalib and corresponding calligraphies, as part of the centenary celebrations organized by “Idara-e-Yadgaar-e-Ghalib” at the Arts Council Building, Karachi.
August-December	Composed more than 1,500 rubaiyyat.
1970
February	Transcribed the first edition of his rubaiyyat.
March-April	Painted more than 100 paintings on the themes of rubaiyyat.
May	Published privately First Edition of the Rubaiyyat-e-Sedequain Naqqash. Exposition of paintings and calligraphy of the poetry at the Arts Council Building in Karachi.
July	Started calligraphy of “Sura-e-Rehman.” Concentrated on calligraphic art.
July-September	Floods in East Pakistan. A large mural was painted on the theme of man’s struggle against the hostile forces of nature. That mural was donated to the Naval Headquarters, Queen’s Road in Karachi and was housed there. Later reported to be shifted to Istanbul, Turkey.
October	Exposition of calligraphic works during the month of Ramzan 1390 A.H. at the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi.
November	Exposition of calligraphic works at the library of the headquarters of the State Bank of Pakistan during the International Islamic Conference.
1971
February	Executed 25 large paintings and appended calligraphies based on the poetry of Faiz Ahmed Faiz to celebrate the 60th Birthday of the poet. Exhibition at PECHS College of the illustrations of Faiz Ahmed Faiz.
July-August	Made more than 200 pen and ink drawings for the illustrated edition of Rubaiyyat-e-Sadequain Naqqash.
September	Wrote the preface of the Bayaz-e-Sadequaini. Exhibition calligraphies at the Pakistan Arts Council Karachi.
November	Exposition of calligraphies that lasted eight months at Lahore Museum. Exposition of the paintings based on Ghalib’s poetry at Lahore Museum.
1972
February	Exhibition at Lahore Museum.
April	Executed “Sura-e-Yasin,” 260 feet long on wooden panels for the Islamic Gallery in Lahore Museum and donated it to the museum.
October	Exhibition of calligraphic works at the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi, while being admitted in the Jinnah Hospital.
1973
January-August	Started the ceiling mural at the Lahore Museum’s central gallery. (Completed the ceiling mural on 3 August 1973 and gave it away as a gift to the wheat-colored beauties of Lahore).
August	Exposition of calligraphic works at the Liaquat Memorial Hall, Rawalpindi.
September	Exhibition of paintings at the Liaquat Memorial Hall, Rawalpindi.
1974
January-June	Worked on calligraphies at Lahore Museum.
June-October	Worked on calligraphic paintings, titled the “Air Mail Edition” for the exhibition tour of eight Middle East countries.
September	Exhibition at Lahore Museum. Exhibition in Islamabad at PNCA.
October	Exhibition at the Karachi Arts Council. Exhibition at Municipal Library Hall, Dubai, U.A.E. Exhibition at Main Hall, Hilton Hotel, Abu Dhabi. U.A.E. Exhibition at Markazul Funoon, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
November	Exhibition at National Museum of Damascus, Syria. Exhibition at Hall of Jordan Intercontinental, Amman, Jordan. Exhibition at Art Gallery of Kuwait City, Kuwait. Exhibition at Museum of Modern Art, Baghdad, Iraq.
1975
June	Received Cultural Award from Australian government.
July-August	Visited Australia on invitation of the Australian government.
October	Exhibition at Sala Atenenlui Bucharest Romania.
November	Exhibition at the State Museum of Oriental Arts, Moscow, Soviet Union. Exhibition at the the Hall of Union Painters, Baku, Azerbaijan. Documentary SADEQUAIN at the State Museum of Art, Baku, Azerbaijan.
December	Exhibition at the State Museum of Fine Arts Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Exhibition at the State Fine Art Gallery, Ankara, Turkey. Exhibition at the Khana-e-Aftab Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
1976
January	Exhibition at the Khana-e-Aftab Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
February	Established studio at “Tilla” at Bagh-e-Jinnah, Pakistan. Exhibition of calligraphies at the Lahore Museum, Pakistan.
May	Exhibition of paintings at the Punjab Arts Council Alhamra Lahore, Pakistan. Street protests turned violent.
June	Street protests were followed by more processions, parliament debate, and culminating in a bomb blast on the last day of the exhibition. Exhibition extended by two more weeks. A parallel exhibition in Islamabad to counter the mobs in Lahore. Intellectual forces came forward to write in support of Sadequain.
July	Wrote quatrains to address the hoodlums responsible for violence in Lahore and made line drawings.
August	Published the collection of quatrains, Rubaiyyat-e-Sadequain Khattat. Recited the quatrains in an open gathering and distribution of complimentary copies of the book of quatrains. Converted Montgomery Hall into his painting workshop. Started on two large murals for the Sports Complex in Islamabad. The theme was the struggle for emancipation, fighting for freedom of the nations of Asia and Africa and their fight against imperialism.
October-December	Painted 99 calligraphy works, “Asma-e-Husna” on square-shaped pieces, while admitted in hospital. Now permanently displayed in the Islamic Gallery at the Lahore Museum as a gift to the city.
1977
January	Sketched more than 200 line drawings and composed hundreds of rubaiyyat.
June-August	Executed large paintings based on the poetry of Iqbal.
August	Series of documentary film, Mojiza-e-Fun, about Sadequain was made by Pakistan Television Corporation.
September	Exhibition of calligraphies at the Punjab Arts Council.
November	Exhibition of paintings based on the poetry of lqbal at the Lahore Museum.
December	Painted calligraphic arches and exhibited during the month of Ramzan of 1399 in Lahore Museum. Now they are permanently fixed in the Islamic Gallery of Lahore Museum as a donation by the artist.
1978
January-December	Published book of poetry with illustrations. Devoted the entire year to calligraphic work.
1979
January	More calligraphies.
February	Executed a large calligraphic mural and several smaller calligraphies for the National Bank of Pakistan in Lahore.
March-April	Calligraphic murals for the Lahore Museum as a permanent display in the Islamic Gallery. Gift to the citizens of Lahore.
June	Compiled books of quatrains with illustrations.
August	Published personal letters written to elder brother Kaz-e-man, verbatim as they were written from Europe and America during the 1960s.
October	Visited Abu Dhabi on a special invitation from the Ministry of Water and Electricity to execute a calligraphic mural in the lobby of the power station, Um-ul-Naar.
1980
March	Awarded national award, “Sitara-e-Imtiaz.”
April	Attended the International Islamic Exhibition in Bahrain on the turn of the century of Hijra. Pakistan was represented at the exhibition with only Sadequain’s calligraphies. The Pakistan Section was visited by the Amir of Bahrain together with Yasir Arafat and was awarded the first prize. Left the trophy for the Pakistan Embassy. Invitations from Istanbul and London for exhibitions, but declined.
July	Exhibition of calligraphies in Karachi for Hijra Celebrations.
1981
August	Inauguration of Galerie Sadequain in Islamabad.
November	Arrived at New Delhi, India after 33 years. Visited ancestral home, Amroha, India. Exposition of calligraphies, International Trade Fair in New Delhi, India.
December	Exposition of paintings and drawings sponsored by Indian Council for Cultural Relations at State Lalit Kala Academy, Rabindra Bhawan, New Delhi, India.
1982
January	Exhibition of calligraphies and drawings at Kennedy Hall, Aligarh Muslim University. Executed the calligraphy of the university’s logo for Moulana Azad Library, Aligarh Muslim University.
February	Executed a large mural and a metallic mural for the exterior of the Department of Geography, Aligarh Muslim University. Exhibition of paintings & calligraphies, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.
March	Exhibition of calligraphies and drawings at Urdu Ghar, Hyderabad, Deccan. Executed a mural for the Urdu Ghar. Executed mural on the subject of Earth sciences in the National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, Deccan. Calligraphy at the Mazar of Tippu Sultan.
May-June	Visited Varanasi. Executed a mural, “Quest for Reality,” for Banaras Hindu University.
June	Exhibition of calligraphies and drawings, State Lalit Kala Academy, Lucknow, India.
July	Exhibition of calligraphies at Ghalib Academy, New Delhi in Ramazan Tradition.
August	Awarded International Gold Mercury Award.
September-November	Executed a five-story circular calligraphy based on “Asma-e-Husna” for the Indian Institute of Islamic Studies, New Delhi.
December	Exhibition at International Quran Conference.
1983
January-December	All year composed thousands of rubaiyyat. More calligraphies.
1984	Started writing autobiography.
1985	Illustrated verses of Faiz Ahmed Faiz on his death. Exhibition at Anjuman-e-Sadaat-e-Amroha in Karachi, Pakistan. Exhibition of calligraphies in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia. Calligraphed 99 “Asma-e-Husna” on marble panels and gave as gifts to the National Institute of Public Administration in Karachi, Pakistan.
1986
February	Exhibition of calligraphies at Frere Hall.
March-April	Painted “Sura-e-Rehman” on 40 marble panels, 6 x 5 feet each, and presented as a gift to the citizens of Karachi. All marble panels are now missing from the site.
April	Exhibition in Maldives.
May	Studio at the Frere Hall in Karachi. Started painting the ceiling mural in the main hall.
June	While at Frere Hall, painted calligraphic mural for Faisal Mosque in Islamabad and presented it as a gift to the mosque named after the Saudi monarch.
1987
January	Fell ill and admitted to Jinnah Hospital first, later shifted to OMI Clinic.
February 10, 1987	Passed away at 2:00 AM. At 3:20 A.M., thieves broke in the Frere Hall and stole dozens of paintings. Buried at Sakhi Hasan Graveyard in Karachi, Pakistan.