Workshop on woodcuts opens

LAHORE, March 28: A five-day workshop on woodcuts with veteran artist Mehboob Ali opened at Shakir Ali Museum here on Monday. The Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) has organised the workshop. Shakir Ali Museum is a PNCA subsidiary in Lahore. A number of students have enrolled themselves with the museum for the workshop and they will be given certificates by the PNCA at the conclusion of the workshop. The works produced during the workshop will be put on display in an exclusive exhibition which will be held at Shakir Ali Museum. For the last four decades, Ali has been committed to promoting this form of art. Some of his prints and paintings depicting the historic city of Lahore are included in the national collection of the PNCA. After graduating from the National College of Arts in 1972, Ali explored the ancient Chinese tradition of woodcut – a medium that had been used in the 15th century by Albrecht Durer and later in art history by Edvard Munch. He also did his own improvisations in this technique by incorporating 52 colours to his prints.