Talat Dabir

The distinguished sculptor and ceramist Talat Dabeer captures a strong mood and feeling through her sculpture that includes standing and seated figures as well as a number of incredibly intricate wall based relief artworks. Talat, who had been for several years Associate Professor Fine Arts at the National College of Art, Lahore, is now focused on her work in ceramics. She has in her home a spacious studio where she uses the medium of terra cotta to create the skill and ease of long practice, and the uncluttered figures that are recognizably her signature work

The sculptor has exhibited her work in a number of national and international events of importance and, her work is included in private collections world wide. Talat has earned awards that include the First Prize in the National Art Biennale in 1988, and a Gold Medal awarded by the Pakistan National Council of the Arts in 1994. A modest person involved in her work, her fame includes youthful years when she was one of Pakistan’s top athlete and for ten years Pakistan’s National Badminton Champion.

Married to distinguished ceramist, Dubeer Ahmed, Talat retains her individual, singular style. One had seen the artist’s national award winning `Jarokas’ or balconies previously in exhibition and marveled at the depth of the work with its myriad geometric designs, all worked to scale and with numerous patterns and references to Islamic architecture and tradition. The sculptor has added lively movement to the structures, in the form of tiny birds and groups of small, veiled yet animated figures who gaze over the balconies. Viewing the artist’s work in exhibition, one regrets the lack of a permanent museum of art for future generations to study.