Zubair Qureshi
Among many good things, diplomatic community is doing in Pakistan particularly Islamabad is supporting and patronizing artists and talented individuals who are facing hard times.
Wife of Turkish Ambassador, Mrs Zlatomira Yurdakul on Thursday organized a small reception at her residence for other spouses and eminent ladies to introduce work of Fayyaz Ahmed, the lone wax painter running a small shop in Super Market.
“His work is amazingly unique, refined and delicate and I decided to introduce him to my friends so that we could do our little bit to support him,” said Zlatomira Yurdakul while talking to media. Fayyaz Ahmed is custodian of a rare art that travels in his family for almost centuries and is carrying it forward with lot of dedication and a great struggle.
“I am thankful to the Madam for inviting me to her residence and arranging display of my works and asking her friends to come and see it,” said Fayhyaz Ahmed who hails from Peshawar and makes delicate eye-catching designs on cloth with the help of linseed oil boiled and condensed. Since such work doesn’t find many fans in the market it helps him little to make both ends meet.
While talking about this particular art, he said a measured portion of limestone powder is mixed with the linseed oil which causes the mixture to thicken “A part of this thickened mixture is placed on the base of the thumb using a long iron needle. The mix is then beaten thoroughly until it becomes sticky and gluey like paste, he said.
The design is then drawn on cotton, synthetic cloth or leather and in free hand while using the long needle, the pattern is drawn with the gluey wax. This is not wax but kind of ‘roghan’ and the name ‘wax’ was given by the British when they came to the subcontinent and saw the work. Since the ‘rogan’ was like wax they called it wax art, according to Fayyaz.
Fayyaz’ father Riaz Ahmed is an award-winning wax painter and a recipient of UNESCO Seal of Excellence. Fayyaz said the art was used on saree, curtains and cushions of Raja and Maharaja in olden times. “It is still in vogue in some parts of the Indian state of Gujarat but in Pakistan only his family is continuing it.” He says it is actually Asian work with English title.
Although he is a man of family with five kids but Fayyaz didn’t see any prospects of this dying art to last longer.
