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Rabia Zuberi
Rabia Zuberi
Born	1940; Kanpur, United Provinces, British Raj (now Uttar Pradesh, India)
Died	16 January 2022 (aged 81); Karachi, Pakistan
Nationality	Pakistani
Education	Graduation
Alma mater	Aligarh Muslim University; Lucknow College of Arts and Crafts
Known for	Sculpture, Painting, Drawing
Relatives	Hajra Mansoor (sister)
Awards	Pride of Performance (2010)

Rabia Zuberi (1940 – 16 January 2022),^[1]^[2] sometimes referred to in Pakistan as Queen Mother of Arts,^[3] was a Pakistani sculptor, painter, former chairperson of the Pakistan Arts Council, 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.^[4]

Early life

She was born in 1940 in United Province, British India (now Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India).^[1]^[5] She graduated from the Aligarh Muslim University in 1959^[6] and later moved to Lucknow where she attended Lucknow College of Arts and Crafts along with her sister, Hajra Mansoor.^[7]^[8]^[9] Following the partition of India, her family migrated to Pakistan in 1961, while she and her sister studied in India, and later they moved to Karachi in 1964.^[5]^[10]

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.^[5]^[11]

She created two life-sized sculptures of iron and fiberglass for the Pakistan Navy 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.^[12] She was also commissioned to create a statue for an industrial organization^[13] and public and private architectural structures in Islamabad.^[3] In 1964, she established Karachi School of Art, an art and entertainment institution.^[1]^[13]^[14]

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.^[13] The book Rabia Zuberi: Life & Works, according to the Hindustan Times doesn't cover about her migration to Pakistan.^[3]

Personal life and death

Zuberi died in Karachi on 16 January 2022, at the age of 81.^[2]

Books

Zuberi, Rabia; Husain, Marjorie (2008). Rabia Zuberi: Life and Work. Foundation for Museum of Modern Art. ISBN 9789698896041.
Hashmi, Salima (2002). Unveiling the Visible: Lives and Works of Women Artists of Pakistan. ActionAid Pakistan. ISBN 9789693513615.

Awards and recognition

Pride of Performance Award by the President of Pakistan in 2010^[11]^[12]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Salman, Peerzada (18 January 2022). "Sculptor Rabia Zuberi laid to rest". Dawn. Archived from the original on 15 February 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
^ ^a ^b "Rabia Zuberi passes away". Dawn. 17 January 2022. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c Singh, Khushwant (1 August 2008). "Our failing political esteem". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 25 September 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
^ Husain, Marjorie (25 September 2015). "Art work: A tryst with destiny". Dawn. Archived from the original on 29 April 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c Chatterjee, Partha (4 December 2009). "Gentle rainbow". Frontline. The Hindu Group. Archived from the original on 13 April 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
^ "Department of Fine Arts - Notable Alumni of the Department". Aligarh Muslim University. 14 September 2022. Archived from the original on 19 September 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
^ Ahmed, Munir (23 December 2017). "Ninth National Art Exhibition dedicated to nine legendary Pakistani artists commences at PNCA". Daily Times. Archived from the original on 8 June 2018. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
^ Shaikh, Nageen (9 January 2022). "Exhibition: Rethinking Rabia Zuberi". Dawn. Archived from the original on 30 November 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
^ "The revolution that flowered". Dawn. 12 March 2017. Archived from the original on 28 November 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
^ Fatima, Samar (20 November 2022). "Exhibition: Rabia's Ethos". Dawn. Archived from the original on 30 April 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
^ ^a ^b "Profile of Rabia Zuberi". Karachi School of Art. 3 April 2019. Archived from the original on 15 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
^ ^a ^b Zuberi, Nadeem (11 June 2016). "Art Facts: Rabia's creative powers". Business Recorder. Archived from the original on 25 September 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c Muhajir, Tauqeer (22 March 2020). "Saluting women artists of Pakistan". Khaleej Times. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
^ Baig, Zulfiqar (9 February 2022). "'Forms of Existence' show on display at PNCA". The Express Tribune. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2024.