Saqib Akhtar: an inspirational watercolour artist

Saqib Akhtar is an independent visual artist and communication designer from Pakistan. His inspirations had been the great impressionist watercolourists who perfected the art of painting in the most direct and economical way. His favourite subject is historical architecture but he attempts Still-Life also.

In 1985, Saqib graduated from The National College of Arts, Lahore in Visual Communication & Graphic Design. He has been painting professionally since 1989 and exhibited in Pakistan and Kuwait.

His first solo exhibition named “Lahore of the Great Mughals” was very successful at Al Hamrah Art Council, Lahore in 1990. He participated in many exhibitions and some of them include Group Exhibition at Nairang Art Galleries, Lahore in 1992, Group Exhibition of Lahore Biennial 2018 at Ejaz Art Gallery, Lahore and Group Exhibition of Watercolorist at Mussawir Art Gallery, Lahore 2019.

He also participated in Group Exhibition at Boushahari Art Gallery, Kuwait in 2017.

Saqib has always been inspired by the historical architectural buildings which had great significance in history. He did a lot of research on such buildings and preserved them with his talent. Ever since he moved to Kuwait, he has been studying the rich culture and classical historical buildings, mosques, souqs etc. His paintings are clear evidence of the inspiration and preservation of many historical buildings showing Kuwaiti life in relation to new and pre-oil era architecture.

In 2018 he came back to his mother city Lahore. Here also, he works on the same pattern. He painted Lahore life in relation to the present and Mughal & Colonial era of 16th & 17th Centuries AD architectures which are now getting overwhelmed by the latest and modern architecture.

He applies different ways and techniques to achieve a concept in a particular painting. During this process he applies, Washes and glazes – Diluting and mixing watercolour paints – Wet into wet techniques.

Saqib is inspired by his teacher Prof Dr Ijaz Anwar, Pakistan, John Hoar, UK, Marc Taro Holmes from Canada and David Taylor from Australia.