Tag Archives: Indian Artists

Wajid Khan: An artist’s unique obsession with Mahatma Gandhi

October 5, 2024Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Inventions, Innovations (wef. Nov 30th, 2021), World OpinionIndian Artists, Indian Artists with Guinness Records, Indian Muslim Guinness Record Holders, Indian Muslim Patent holders, Indian Muslims, Madhya Pradesh Muslims, Muslim Patent Holders of India, Muslim Sculptors of India, Muslims of India, Muslims of India - Positive News, Muslims of Madhya Pradesh, Muslims of Madhya Pradesh in Arts and Crafts, Positive News of Indian Muslims, Positive News of Muslims of India, Positive News of Muslims of Madhya Pradesh, Positive Stories of Muslims of India, Wajid Khan, Wajid Khan - Artist - Madhya Pradesh, Wajid Khan - Sculptormpositiveone@gmail.com

MADHYA PRADESH :

Wajid Khan Artist with the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi he made with nails.

Few artists are as passionately obsessed with Mahatma Gandhi as Wajid Khan, whose love and reverence for Gandhi manifest in extraordinary ways through his art. Wajid’s devotion to the Father of the Nation is evident not only in the subjects of his artwork but also in the innovative techniques he uses to create them. Whether by assembling nails, arranging goggles, or using other unconventional materials, Wajid Khan’s portrayal of Gandhi is a testament to his deep admiration.

Gandhi ji art by Wajid Khan #shorts

Wajid Khan a multifaceted artist—a portraitist, sculptor, inventor, and patent holder—known for pushing the boundaries of traditional art. He specializes in creating intricate works of art using unconventional materials such as iron nails, bullets, metal, stones, automobile parts, medical equipment, iron rods, and more. His passion for creativity is boundless, and his art often reflects his deep emotions and thoughts about the world and the figures who have shaped it.

Among his many talents, Wajid’s ability to carve canvases using iron nails has garnered international acclaim. His work has earned him places in prestigious records such as the Guinness Book of World Records, Limca Book of Records, and Asia Book of Records. His artistic prowess is admired from Mumbai to Dubai, captivating both art connoisseurs and the general public with his exceptional nail art.

Although Wajid has made portraits of numerous iconic personalities, including Indira Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Dhirubhai Ambani, and Nelson Mandela, his fascination with Mahatma Gandhi stands out. His first portrait, fittingly, was of Gandhi—a powerful expression of his love and passion for the man who led India to independence. Wajid meticulously used thousands of iron nails to craft this portrait, each nail symbolizing the unwavering dedication and perseverance Gandhi embodied throughout his life.

Wajid’s connection to Gandhi goes beyond artistic inspiration. His admiration for Gandhi stems from the values of patience and truth that Gandhi represented. “There are many qualities in Gandhiji that impressed me deeply,” Wajid shared in an interview. “His power of patience and his commitment to truth are what stand out the most. For me, those who hold onto patience and never lie are truly great individuals.”

One of the moments that left an indelible mark on Wajid was when he visited a museum and saw letters written by Gandhi in which the leader openly admitted his mistakes. “It takes a big heart to admit one’s mistakes in public,” Wajid reflected. “I greatly admire Gandhi’s patience and steadfastness.”

Wajid’s connection to Gandhi also has personal roots. He fondly recalls stories from his grandfather, who would attend Gandhi’s meetings during the freedom movement in India. “My grandfather used to tell us about the time when he was very young and would participate in Gandhi’s meetings. Enthusiastic crowds would gather to listen to Gandhi, and when they returned, they were always calm and composed,” Wajid recounted. The calm demeanor Gandhi inspired in his followers left a profound impact on Wajid, influencing both his life and his art.

In one of his most ambitious projects, Wajid demonstrated the extent of his dedication to honoring Gandhi. He organized an event where 6,000 people were gathered in a stadium, carefully arranged in a formation that created a massive portrait of Gandhi. This live depiction showcased not only Wajid’s artistic genius but also his ability to bring people together to celebrate Gandhi’s legacy.

Wajid Khan’s artistic journey is a remarkable blend of creativity, innovation, and an unyielding devotion to Gandhi’s principles. Through his portraits, sculptures, and inventive techniques, he continues to keep the spirit of Gandhi alive, inspiring others with the same values of patience, truth, and perseverance that Gandhi embodied.

source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Indian Muslim> Positive Story / by Syed Zubair Ahmad / October 02nd, 2024

The Awe-Inspiring Wildlife Drawings of Shaikh Zain ud-Din

October 1, 2023Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Inventions, Innovations (wef. Nov 30th, 2021), Museums, Libraries (wef. April 16th, 2022), World Opinion18th Century Indian Muslim Artists, Artists of India, Indian Artists, Indian Muslim Artists, Indian Muslims, Indian Muslims Positive Story, Muslim Artists of India, Shaikh Zain Ud Din, Zain Ud Dinmpositiveone@gmail.com

Patna, BIHAR (BRITISH INDIA) :

An 18th-century album of India’s flora and fauna showcases the startling work of an overlooked master.

Bird — Shaikh Zain ud-Din’s *Brahminy Starling with Two Antheraea Moths, Caterpillar, and Cocoon on an Indian Jujube Tree* was originally part of an album commissioned by his British patrons. © Minneapolis Institute of Art

In the late 1770s, a British colonial official named Sir Elijah Impey and his wife, Lady Mary, commissioned the Indian artist Shaikh Zain ud-Din to catalog a private menagerie, including various bird species, the couple had assembled at their home in Calcutta. Using paper and watercolors from England, Zain ud-Din, a Muslim from the city of Patna, modeled his work after English botanical illustration, but he also brought to the job his training in the ornate Mughal artistic tradition—and his own distinctive style. Today critics praise the quality of the colors and the composition, in which a bright, simple background offsets the keenly wrought details of plants and animals. “Everything is incredibly precise and beautifully observant,” says Xavier Bray, director of London’s Wallace Collection, which this month mounts the first UK exhibition of works by Indian artists commissioned by officers of the British East India Company.

The expat aristocrats who patronized Zain ud-Din and his fellow artists had been sent abroad to help manage their country’s growing empire, but once there many, like the Impeys, fell in love with the subcontinent, as well as its flora and fauna. “These paintings,” Bray says, “were made into albums to be leafed through back home, on a rainy day, drinking Earl Grey tea.”

History failed to record much about Zain ud-Din’s life beyond his watercolors for the Impeys. But the new show, which includes 99 paintings of nature studies, portraits and landscapes by 18 artists, makes an argument that he and his contemporaries should be recognized on their own merits, as some of India’s greatest painters. “Anything with a colonial air about it is now considered politically incorrect,” Bray says. “But what we’re trying to do is bring back these extraordinary artists who have been almost completely forgotten.”