Personal Spaces – Ahmed Anver, Painter – Pakistan Chowk

A man of many talents. Ahmed Anver is a veteran artist who is very well connected to the city. He lives near Pakistan Chowk. You can see Pakistan Chowk from his balcony. He lives on third floor. His apartment has a wooden roof and wooden walls. A lot of amendments have been done to the building so it is difficult to understand the original layout. He has been collecting antiques; radios, turntables, lamps etc which add further character to his living space.

Ahmed Anver was born in Ahmadabad. His family migrated to Karachi and started living near Pakistan Chowk. His father established a small textile manufacturing setup in Karachi. He used to visit it early in his childhood and there he was exposed to different palettes of colors. He realized he could control them to create striking prints. He could do what others around could not see. He knew he had a gift. From there he went on to build an impressive resume. He did a diploma in fine arts from Central Institute of Arts and Crafts Karachi in 1980 and started his practice immediately. From early 80’s to till date he has been exhibiting his work regularly locally and abroad. He seems to have inherited entrepreneurial spirit from his family. He established Sabuha art gallery which he successfully managed for several years. However he still is active on various forums and currently looks after Karachi Chapter of Federation of International TSA-MO artists, Taiwan.

He offers me tea and I light up a cigarette. He expects me to ask questions about his art. He made his name in calligraphy which adorns his walls. Minaret and domes feature in his work intermittently. His color palettes is bold. You cannot ignore it. I ask him instead about his collectibles which are put against a blue colored wooden wall. He tells me that he has been collecting them all along. He is a practical man. He has been selling them whenever he receives a good offer. A bohri gentleman, who is Ahmed Anver’s neighbor joins us. We talk about the Karachi, its flea markets, its appeal to the migrants, the opportunities and disappointments that it bestows upon its denizens.