Marjorie Husain

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Marjorie Husain
NationalityBritish, Pakistani
Occupation(s)Artist, art critic, writer
Years active1960–2019
Notable workAspects of art: Textbook for the Students of Art
SpouseHamid Husain

Marjorie Husain is a British artist, art critic and writer who lived in Pakistan between the 1960s and 2019.[1] Within the country, she was a prominent figure of the art community as well as being a founding member of its first art gallery.[2][3] She worked to promote Pakistani art on both the national and international levels.[4][5]

Career[edit]

Husain came to Karachi in the 1960s after her marriage to Hamid Husain. Both she and husband were art students while in the UK.[6] Marjorie was known as an artist in the community, however over the years she became a well known art critic.[7][8] In the late 1960's, Marjorie joined a printmaking workshop organized at PACC by the American printmaker Michael Ponce de Lyon. The workshop was the first of its kind in Pakistan and gathered artists from the city. Here she met artists like Bashir Mirza and Masood Kohari. In 1965 Bashir Mirza opened the first commercial art gallery at Kutchery Road in Karachi.[9][10] Mirza later moved to Germany and so the Gallery was relocated to SMHS. Marjorie was urged by artists to take over the gallery and so she became one of the founding members of Pakistan's first art gallery.[11][12]

Marjorie continued with curating shows. During this time, Marjorie was encouraged by the women in her circle, who were working in the media, to start writing for newspapers.[13] Najma Babar encouraged her to write for Dawn's Tuesday Magazine in the 90s.[14] Marjorie then went on to write for Zohra Karim at the She magazine and for Fawzia Naqvi at Zameen.[15] Marjorie has also written articles for Dawn, The Star, Newsline and The Frontier Post.[16] [17] Marjorie continued writing art reviews, however she soon realized the lack of information on Pakistani art.  There were no museums, no informative books, no research material and very little documentation of the local artists. Marjorie then decided to start cataloging and archiving art and artists in Pakistan.[18][19]

Marjorie has written many books, mostly on artists of Pakistan and art. She has written on Ali Imam, Ahmed Parvez, Jamil Naqsh, Bashir Mirza, Anna Molka Ahmed, Rabia Zuberi, Iqbal Hussain, Colin David and Nahid Raza.[20] Her book Art views: Encounters With Artists in Pakistan is a compilation of her published articles on more than forty Pakistani artists. She is also the writer of the first textbook for art students in Pakistan called Aspects of Art. There was no textbook for Pakistani art students and students would often contact her for tips before their exams. In 2001, Marjorie's Aspects of Art, was published by OUP.[21] The book was a compilation and history of both western and eastern art. The book has been translated to Urdu and is intended for both undergraduate, graduate art students.[22][23]

Marjorie's work and documentation of Pakistani art made her popular guest at schools. She visited local schools to talk about art and her personal encounters with Pakistan's great artists. She documented their stories, art work and more.[24][25]

She travelled frequently to Lahore, where she visited National College of Arts (NCA). Here she met many more artists like Shakir Ali, Saeed Akhtar, Ahmed Khan, and Colin David. She was also introduced to The Lahore group, a group of artists that started in the 1950's.[26][27]

During her time in Pakistan, Marjorie has authored several books on art and also contributed essays to the country's newspapers and magazines.[28][29] She was involved in art exhibitions of Pakistan and also involved with art students.[30][31]

Return to UK[edit]

In 2019, after living in Pakistan for nearly six decades, Marjorie moved back to England.[32][33] Her husband had passed away and so Marjorie had decided to move back to her country.[34][35]

Publications[edit]

  • Art views: Encounters with Artists in Pakistan[36][37]
  • Aspects of art: A Textbook for Students of Art[38][39] (2000) (also published in Urdu)
  • Iqbal Hussain: The Painter of Imprisoned Souls[40]
  • Ali Imam: Man of the Arts[41]
  • 20 Pakistani Women Artists You Should Know[42]
  • The Sun Blazes the Colours Through My Window[43][44]
  • A Selection of Contemporary Paintings from Pakistan[45]
  • The Art of Colin David[46]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "High Commission for Pakistan, London". www.phclondon.org. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  2. ^ Salman, Peerzada (4 April 2019). "Art critic Marjorie Husain bids farewell to Pakistan after 60 years". Images. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  3. ^ Wenmin, Li (8 April 2016). "The Relationship Between Sketching and Painting in Chinese Traditional Aesthetics". In Bartram, Angela; El-Bizri, Nader; Gittens, Douglas (eds.). Recto Verso: Redefining the Sketchbook. doi:10.4324/9781315604114. ISBN 9781315604114.
  4. ^ "Marjorie Husain – Karachi Art Directory". Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  5. ^ "'In, At and Around' by Soraya Sikander". Islamic Arts Magazine. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  6. ^ "Encore, NOS, The News International". jang.com.pk. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  7. ^ "Corporate Responsibility". Pfizer Corporate Website |. 4 September 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  8. ^ "I heart art: Pagan ritual opens Band Baja Baraat show". Amin Gulgee. 12 April 2012. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  9. ^ "Articles/Press". Clifton Art Gallery. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  10. ^ "Pakistan Heritage Cuisine – A Food Story". The Nation. 16 November 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  11. ^ "Mughees Riaz, Profile and Palette | Pakistan Today". www.pakistantoday.com.pk. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  12. ^ "Bashir Mirza: the inventor of BM | artnow". Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  13. ^ "ISHQ: A Spiritual Journey – ADA Magazine". Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  14. ^ Husain, Marjorie (13 September 2014). "Art fiend: Elementally yours". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  15. ^ "SHE Magazine Digital – Women's Magazine for Beauty, Fashion & Lifestyle". SHE Magazine. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  16. ^ "News stories for Marjorie Husain - DAWN.COM". www.dawn.com. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  17. ^ Husain, Marjorie. "Remembering an extraordinary artist". The Friday Times. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  18. ^ "Memoirs of Art in Pakistan – The life of Marjorie Husain | artnow". Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  19. ^ "The News on Sunday (TNS) » Weekly Magazine – The News International". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  20. ^ "Ahmed Parvez – Overview". Grosvenor Gallery. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  21. ^ "Aspects of Art". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  22. ^ "Home - DAWN.COM". www.dawn.com. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  23. ^ "Brush with life in Pakistan". Arab News. 15 June 2008. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  24. ^ "ACIAC aims to paint a brighter future for fine arts in Pakistan". The Express Tribune. 7 July 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  25. ^ "5th ArtBeat 2016 Exhibitions Season – The Little Art". Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  26. ^ Archive, Asia Art. "Hamid Husain, Marjorie Husain and Wahab Jaffer". aaa.org.hk. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  27. ^ ""Exhibiting You" – Author | International Museum of Women". exhibitions.globalfundforwomen.org. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  28. ^ "By Marjorie Husain Archives". Daily Times. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  29. ^ "K-Electric holds the Pride of Karachi Awards at Mohatta Palace". K-Electric. 20 January 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  30. ^ Daur, Naya (4 April 2019). "Renowned art critic Marjorie Husain says goodbye to Pakistan after 60 years". Naya Daur. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  31. ^ "Art critic/Author Marjorie Husain writes on Soraya Sikander". SORAYA SIKANDER. 17 January 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  32. ^ "Pakistan bids farewell to artist Jamil Naqsh | SAMAA". Samaa TV. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  33. ^ greenwichuniversity. "Newsletter" (PDF).
  34. ^ Zahra, Mehak (5 April 2019). "Marjorie Husain Bids Goodbye to Pakistan After 60 Years". HIP. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  35. ^ "WE SHALL NOT SEE HIS LIKE AGAIN: REMEMBERING | Obituary – MAG THE WEEKLY". magtheweekly.com. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  36. ^ lcwu. "The development of flavored expressionism in paintings" (PDF).
  37. ^ Husain, Marjorie. (2005). Art views: encounters with artists in Pakistan. Karachi: Foundation for Museum of Modern Art (FOMMA). ISBN 978-969-8896-00-3.
  38. ^ "Aspects of Art". oup.com.pk. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  39. ^ Husain, Marjorie (31 May 2001). Aspects of Art: A Textbook for Students of Art. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-579365-9.
  40. ^ worldcatorg. "Marjorie Husain".
  41. ^ Husain, Marjorie (2003). Ali Imam: Man of the Arts. Foundation for Museum of Modern Art.
  42. ^ Husain, Marjorie; Nawaz, Uzma (2018). 20 Pakistani Women Artists: You Should Know. Millennium Media.
  43. ^ Husain, Marjorie (2007). "The Sun Blazes the Colours Through My Window--", Anna Molka Ahmed. National College of the Arts. ISBN 978-969-8623-18-0.
  44. ^ "PUBLICATIONS - National College of Arts (NCA)". m.nca.edu.pk. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  45. ^ www.bibliopolis.com. "A Selection of Contemporary Paintings From Pakistan by Pacific Asia Museum, Marjorie Husain, Marcella Nesom Sirhandi on Alan Wofsy Fine Arts". Alan Wofsy Fine Arts. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  46. ^ "The Art of Colin David by Marjorie Husain | Waterstones". www.waterstones.com. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
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