(1937 – 2008) Pakistan lost a distinguished and revered artist. Below is the artist’s painting collection.
Colin found his artistic calling for the first time when he had a chance to paint from real life. He was guided by Sir William Coldstream at the time of his scholarship in London.
His paintings in the genre of nudes excited many art collectors inside and outside the country. His first two exhibitions were very successful and he quickly established a name among the famous artists of his time in Pakistan. His work inspired many, his paintings were a marvel of paintings unlike any artist of that time. His elements of design and choice of color with crisp results proved his mastery on his painting style. His nudes were a part of the overall composition of his whole painting and never the obvious focus.
In his used color with such genius, he widely used neutral colors but at the same time added brilliant splashes of bright colors like red and emerald green which made his paintings look pretty intense.
In his paintings, he used to add objects that showcased optical illusions. A pillow, cones, lines and shapes that appeared to become a movement in his work. Something which was practiced by artists in early 60’s.
Soon after changes in national policies the artist’s signature work in the classic genre was seen less and less in exhibition and since he was unable to show his work publicly he was limited to paint contemporary, minimal ‘Still-Life’ and ‘Mysterious Landscapes’ with barren trees, which seemed to replace the celebrated subjects of his nude paintings.
Colin never stopped painting his classic style but he only held exhibitions to private groups and foreign collectors.
Colin David began his art education at the Punjab University, Lahore when the Fine Arts Department opened its doors to male students in 1956. After taking his MFA from the Punjab University Fine Arts Department in 1961, Colin was awarded a scholarship for post-graduate studies at the Slade School of Art, London. After his return to Pakistan in 1962, Colin rejoined the faculty of the Fine Arts Department of the Punjab University until 1964 after which he joined the National College of Arts (NCA), where Shakir Ali was the principal. Colin David remained there for a quarter of a century and made life-long friends with his peers such as Ahmed Khan.
Although Colin David avoided a public display of exhibition. His exhibition was countered by hooligans who destroyed his priced work which created a havoc in the art society. The incident made front page and raised the ire of many art loving citizens. Colin continued to receive public support from the art loving individuals and institutions.
Colin continued to paint and exhibit in Karachi despite health problem until Feb 2008
