s a Design graduate from National College of Arts, Lahore in 1989. He is a realistic painter of landscapes and is known for his use of light in Punjab countryside scenery paintings. He was born in 1963 and had his early education at Dera Ghazi Khan and then left the town at a very early age. Zulfi paints scenes from the Punjab, especially Dera Ghazi Khan which is still alive in the deep down recesses of his unconscious.
He has several solo and group shows to his credit and his paintings are in major collections home and abroad. He has also participated in a number of group exhibitions in Pakistan and abroad.
In his landscapes one actually fees the breeze and smells the grass- The foggy winter morning scenes are truly cold and the sunny landscapes warm and brilliant.
Zulfi experimented with mist three years ago and was fascinated by its romance.Zulfi, a keen observer of nature, noticed romance in mist and then he found soft light when the mist was washed away by winter rain. He felt the beauty of it and started painting the light. These were progressions on his canvas not by design but by a natural process. Journey of my painting; I do not know which turn it will take in future. But I am ready to take challenges in painting – Zulfiqar said
Marjorie Husain said, “Zulfiqar Ali Zulfi is a painter of the landscape genre with two decades of painting to his credit. In Zulfi’s paintings it appears we are all observers. Often standing on the threshold of light. Almost grisaille in his approach to the media, he is a master of chiaroscuro, mornings are cloaked with mist, the tall trees dramatic, leafless silhouettes.”
Zulfiqar usually paints medium to large sized landscape and cityscape paintings. Common painting sizes are 24 x 30 in. , 30 x 42 in. , 24 x 36 in.
The artist is the recipient of the Presidents Pride of Performance award 2010. His work features prominently in the following permanent collections: Governor House, Punjab Assembly, Administrative Staff College, National Institute of Public Administration, American Consulate, Lahore; Governor House, NathiaGali; National Art Gallery, Islamabad; President House, Turkey.
