Zubeida Agha

Zubeida Agha was born in Faisalabad in 1922 and completed degrees in political science and philosophy at Kinnaird College, Lahore, and later attended the Lahore School of Fine Art. It was here that Agha was introduced to Western art history, becoming well-acquainted with the work of Pablo Picasso.

Agha is said to have had a recurring dream about colours, and rich colouration was to become the mainstay of her art. (S. Ali, 'The grande dame of Pakistani art', Dawn, 25 January 2015, https://www.dawn.com/news/1158908) Her palette and boldly stylized aesthetic combined to form an emotive painting style, with her compositions exuding a sense of profound spirituality and calm. Agha’s work was known to reflect moods, a sensibility achieved by her understanding of colour and how different tones interact with one another.

Kites is an exceptional example of Agha's vibrant use of pigments and her experimentation with texture. The current lot epitomizes the artist's foray into abstraction where she represents the essence of her subject, rather than the subject itself. Eschewing the literal representation of the title of the work, the playful arrangement of lines and shapes evokes the feelings of fulfillment and elation that are associated with this childhood past time.