Mumtaz Hussain
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Born and educated in Jhang, the center of Sufi culture in Pakistan, and immersed in Sufi culture during his childhood, Hussain’s early artistic education was inspired by the medieval Indian figurative artistic tradition. In 1981, Hussain accepted admission into the prestigious National College of Arts (NCA) in Lahore, Pakistan’s premier art school, which has produced the contemporary vanguard of Pakistani art. Among other accolades, Hussain won the National Poster Competition, a coveted and highly selective award. Upon graduation, Hussain was commissioned to construct a seventy-foot mural in Lahore’s town center and to decorate the Sheikh Zaid bin Sultan Palace, an architectural landmark in Karachi.In 1987, Hussain left for London to study European art forms. In 1988, he left for New York to pursue graphic design at the School of Visual Art where his teachers included Milton Glazer, the world renown graphic designer and illustrator. Additionally, Hussain studied figure drawing and painting at the Art Students League of New York. It is in Europe and America that he has been further inspired by Cubism and Impressionism.
Hussain came to New York City because it welcomes cultural expression from a wide range of artistic traditions and cultures. For him, this environment symbolizes the essential — and potential — unity of all humankind. Mentors and friends in the New York artistic community have honored Hussain and encouraged him in his quest to express unity in his artistic works — unity that derives from the fusion of multiple customs and sources of inspiration, from East and West, venerable and modern, painting and sculpture. In addition to his devotion to the fine arts, Hussain has served as Art Director for Simon & Schuster, one of the leading U.S. publishing houses. He has also worked as a graphic designer or art director on accounts including Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren. Hussain continues to paint prolifically, and his artworks have been feature regularly at the LRBT art auction in New York, consistently fetching the highest bids. Filmography2012: Art=(Love)² Awards and honors2012 Gold Winner – Prestige Award (Art=(Love)²) |
