Rabia Zuberi ( 1941 – 16 January 2022), sometimes referred to in Pakistan as Queen Mother of Arts, was a Pakistani sculptor, painter, former chairperson of the
Pakistan Arts Council
The Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi is a council for the promotion of arts and culture in Pakistan, and one of the busiest in terms of organizing events. It is the country's oldest NGO (non-government organization) for the promotion and develo ...
, teacher and Pakistan's first woman sculptor. She produced most of her work after immigrating to Pakistan. Some of her drawings includes ''Duputta'', ''Quest for Peace'', and some sculptures titled ''Peace Message from the Progressive World'' and ''Peace Message'' were acquired by the National Art Gallery, Pakistan during an exhibition in 2003.
Kanpur
Kanpur or Cawnpore ( /kɑːnˈpʊər/ pronunciation (help·info)) is an industrial city in the central-western part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Founded in 1207, Kanpur became one of the most important commercial and military stations o ...
, Uttar Pradesh, India). She graduated from the
Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh Muslim University (abbreviated as AMU) is a Public University, public Central University (India), central university in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India, which was originally established by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan as the Muhammadan Anglo-Orie ...
partition of India
The Partition of British India in 1947 was the Partition (politics), change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: ...
, her family migrated to Pakistan in 1961, while she and her sister studied in India, and later they moved to Karachi in 1964.
Career
She was involved in paintings at an apparent age of ten. Before migrating to Pakistan, she participated in annual exhibitions at the All-India Youth Art Exhibitions, Delhi where she was awarded uncertain prizes from 1960 to 1963. In 2010, the government of Pakistan awarded her the Pride of Performance in recognition of her paintings, depicting an orphan with visage.Profile of Rabia Zuberi on Karachi School Of Art website Published 3 April 2019, Retrieved 5 October 2020
She created two life-sized sculptures of iron and fiberglass for the
Pakistan Navy
ur, ہمارے لیے اللّٰہ کافی ہے اور وہ بہترین کارساز ہے۔ English language, English: Allah is Sufficient for us - and what an excellent (reliable) Trustee (of affairs) is He!(''Quran, Qur'an, Al Imran, 3:173' ...
in 1978 when she was commissioned by the federal government of Pakistan to work for the presidency. The statue was later installed at Zamzama Park. She was also commissioned to create a statue for an industrial organization and public and private architectural structures in Islamabad. In 1964, she established Karachi School of Art, an art and entertainment institution.
Her life is covered in a book titled ''Rabia Zuberi: Life and Work'' by Marjorie Husain which was published in 2009. Her career was covered in a book titled ''Unveiling the Visible: Lives and Works of Women Artists of Pakistan'' by Salima Hashmi which was published in 2002. The book ''Rabia Zuberi: Life & Works'', according to the '' Hindustan Times'' doesn't cover about her migration to Pakistan.
Personal life and death
Zuberi died in Karachi on 16 January 2022, at the age of 81.
President of Pakistan
The president of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=s̤adr-i Pākiṣṭān), officially the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is the ceremonial head of state of Pakistan and the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Armed Forces.Rabia Zuberi at
Asia Art Archive
Asia Art Archive (AAA) is a nonprofit organisation based in Hong Kong which focuses on documenting the recent history of contemporary art in Asia within an international context. AAA incorporates material that members of local art communities ...