Renowned Mumbai artist’s unique art exhibition at Nehru Centre celebrates Urdu as a medium for peace, unity, and secularism
Team Clarion
MUMBAI — Jain Kamal, a prominent Mumbai-based artist, is making waves with his 12-year-long art journey that intricately combines the beauty of Urdu script and powerful messages of peace and unity. His exhibition, titled ‘From One Fakir to Another Fakir’, is on at the Nehru Centre in the metropolitan city’s Worli area, as part of a four-day event organised by the World Art Conclave. The exhibition showcases 250 of Kamal’s paintings, many of which prominently feature Urdu script as a means of conveying his deep-rooted messages.
Kamal uses his canvas to express his admiration for Urdu as a beautiful and integral part of Indian culture. “Urdu is an important and sweet language of the motherland. I consider it my muse,” he explained. Through his vibrant paintings, Kamal seeks to use Urdu to promote messages of peace and security. His artworks portray a deep desire for global harmony, transcending the barriers of religion and caste. Kamal’s vision is to prove that India, as a secular country, offers opportunities for everyone to flourish without discrimination.
The artist’s paintings not only celebrate the language but also offer an exploration of the journey between two important figures in India’s political history — Mahatma Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Through the juxtaposition of these two ‘fakirs’, or wandering mystics, Kamal aims to encapsulate their shared struggles for the country.
Kamal, who has spent nearly Rs 50 lakh on his artwork, hopes that his paintings will find a place at one of the world’s most prestigious institutions, the Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi. He dreams that his art is displayed under the patronage of the UAE’s Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
By using Urdu script, Kamal not only brings forth the elegance and rhythm of the language but also conveys his deep respect for India’s diverse cultural and linguistic heritage. His paintings are more than just visual representations; they call for unity, brotherhood, and peace in a world that is often divided by differences.
According to the Urdu daily newspaper Inquilab, Jain Kamal’s innovative use of Urdu in his art adds a new dimension to the celebration of the language in contemporary Indian art, proving once again that artistic expression transcends boundaries.
Through his unique art and dedication to the beauty of Urdu, Jain Kamal continues to inspire both the Indian and global art communities, using his works as a reminder of the values that bind humanity together, regardless of political or cultural divides.
