Journey of a master

• Jimmy Engineer and Mueen Saheed for a collaboration of goodwill
  
   

World renowned Pakistani artist who is also known for his humanitarian services for the less privileged in society and Mueen Saheed, a leading Sri Lankan artist who is celebrated internationally for his work, have joined hands to have an art exhibition on Friday (8) March, at the Billari Art Gallery Colombo. 

Village Women

Jimmy Engineer

Mueen, originally a jewellery designer, is an artist known for his abstract and contemporary artwork. Constantly globe-trotting related to his work, he would directly translate inner emotions into visual language. What he loves most is the interpretive quality that evokes different imagery into people. “Abstract art invites personal interpretations and thus is nuanced and therapeutic to look at. Once the painting is finished, the artist has very few little claims on what its meaning should be,” he added.

Finding peace through art

An artist of the realist tradition, Jimmy Engineer covers many realms in his art. He has done landscapes, still lifes, seascapes, miniatures, paintings of war and works on historical and philosophical themes. Of his work, the art series on the Pakistani struggle for independence is unique. His architectural paintings are uniquely composed collations of traditional Pakistani buildings.

Where the purpose and the vocation of art are concerned both Mueen Saheed and Jimmy Engineer stand on the same ground: that it should serve humanity. While Mueen has been conducting many therapeutic art sessions, harnessing emotional healing through art, he believes that art can bring a lot of calmness to the mind and help create mindfulness and serenity. Jimmy Engineer strongly believes that concern for the needy is an equally important part of the career of an artist. He says art can bring people together surpassing every barrier which separate people from one another.

Mueen Saheed has extensively exhibited globally, including in Delhi, Oxford and Paris most recently and has gathered a lot of attention for his work. His paintings have been featured in many hotels, resorts and art collections across the country and abroad. He has collaborated with many leading artists in a short span and through his art he has voiced concern and awareness on many social issues.

Jimmy Engineer, a disciple of Sufi Bakrat Ali, is a philanthropist in his own right who would like to introduce himself as a social worker as well. He has a special penchant for mentally or physically handicapped children in ‘Homes’. When he visited Sri Lanka several years ago, he was lavish to entertain more than 700 ‘special’ children with good food sing-songs and games, taking them to several big hotels in Colombo and several other locations in the country. Walking for various noble causes has been one of his favourite ways to bring awareness to people in his country.

Many of his paintings are in private collections in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Italy, London, France, Switzerland, Sweden, Sri Lanka, Russia, Holland, Spain, Germany, Dubai, Jordan, India, China, Philippine, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Canada, Usa, South Africa, Pakistan in fact almost every part of the world. He has painted over 3,000 paintings and more than 1,000 calligraphies over 1,500 drawings to his name besides the 700,000 prints in private collection in more than 60 countries. He has held more than 80 art exhibitions in Pakistan and abroad, led more than 100 walks for noble causes and has arranged more than 140 awareness programs for handicapped and orphan children. Artist and social worker Jimmy Engineer has received many awards and medals in his long illustrious art and social work career since 1976.