Painting of Benazir Bhutto By Rizwan Ali Umrani

An artist from Sindh Pakistan , recalls eve of 27th December, when major cities of Pakistan were bleeding and burning after Muhterma Benazir Bhutto’s Killing in a suicide attack. Rizwan is an abstract artist, painted a picture where red colors were dominating and through lines the face which came up was Benazir Bhutto Pakistan . Rizwan has made his own gallery in the memory of his mother and says that he usually does not make portraits, but this exceptional painting he did not make intentionally. According to him, images of Benazir Bhutto were stored in his unconscious.

Rizwan explains the background about making of benzir's painting that, when people were setting on fire the vehicles and building in the different cities to show their anger, after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. Rizwan closed the door of his gallery and had put colors on canvas to show his anger. Because he was angry too, over benazir's killing. Rizwan says, he did not know, what he is going to paint and red color was dominating in his artwork, in that bloody eve. When life started settling down in the city and when he showed the painting to one of his friend says, you have painted Benazir bhutto.

Important thing to note in the painting is that red color is overlapping on all other colors but in all this, Benazir bhutto eyes are open which means she is still alive today. Rizwan is one of those artists, who did not study the fine arts, formally but have developed a place for them like a teacher, after years of hardwork and practice. His first exhibition was held in Pakistan National Council of Arts Islamabad where Benazir Bhutto inaugurated the exhibition. Another of his exhibition was inaugurated by Faiz ahmed faiz's wife in 1996. His painting exhibitions are also held in other cities like Hyderabad Karachi and Larkana. Rizwan is very close to his mother that is why he prefer to be called as Rizwan Ali Umrani instead using his father's cast Mangi. In his mother's memory he has established a gallery "Mother Gallery" where he is working right now. Rizwan does not participate in political functions in Larkana but according to him, no one can snatch Benazir's memories from his mind. Surprisingly he has still not visited Benazir's Mazar in Garhi Khuda Bakhs which is just 20 Kms away because he hates to show off his tears, for photo sessions.

Recently, One week paintings exhibition artist Rizwan Ali Umrani was organized by the Institute of Art and Design University of Sindh at Benazir Bhutto Gallery. Mr. Haleem Brohi an renowned comic writer and columnist inaugurated the exhibition. The exhibition was attended by a large number students and teachers from different institutes and departments.
About Rizwn Mr Brohi says that Rizwan has produced amazing paintings with diversity by advocating society and man and woman. His paintings reflect the pain and dilemma but on the other hand it also raises hope to the society.

Mr. Rizwan speaking on the occasion said that art is created by feeling pain and added that controversy in the art will help in creativity more. Referring views of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto about his paintings, Rizwan says that his paintings always reflect the mode of the society.