Graham Allen

Graham Allen, as Assistant Director, Museums and Arts wrote the Foreword to the catalogue for Anwar Shemza, an important exhibition by the pioneering South Asian artist held at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, curated by Reyahn King. Held between 12 November 1997 and 1 February 1998, the exhibition was called simply, Anwar Shemza. 

From Allen’s Foreword: “This exhibition presents to the public art which engages the viewer in a dialogue. Bold abstract shapes and strong colours challenge us to react. Intricate patterns and mysterious lines suggestive of architecture, plants, love letters or even dreams fascinate us and hold our attention. Part of the mystery in Anwar Shemza’s work stems from the unique mix of different cultures that he brought to his art. Trained at Mayo School of Art in Lahore, he settled in Stafford in 1962 where he taught and practised art until his death in 1985. This exhibition celebrtates more than this local significance however for Shemza was an important modern artist.

This is the first retrospective exhibition of Anwar Shemza’s work and shows the full range of his art. Shemza’s works are best known for their lyrical motifs and calligraphic style taken from Islamic and Asian culture but he had also pioneered western ideas of abstraction in Pakistan. The works on display demonstrate Shemza’s range of techniques and his extraordinary skill in the production of drawings, paintings and prints, often using handmade materials.

The exhibition should appeal to everyone interested in twentieth-century art and abstraction, in Islamic and Asian art, and in printmaking. It should also remind us that modern art is the product of individuals who, like most of us today, are influenced by many cultures. Shemza’s motifs and inspiration, taken from both Asia and Europe, produced an art that, through its fusion, is universal in its appeal whilst bearing the individual stamp of a passionate and dedicated artist.”

»  Anwar Shemza

Catalogue relating to an exhibition, 1997