Sarfraz Musawir uses light colours on a white background to create sobering and sobering and soothing effects. This makes his images stand apart from those done by other artists. His use of light through different colour combination also serves to complement and complete his subject matter. The works on display reveal Musawir’s strong association with his culture, which is the inspirational force behind all his paintings.

The dark cloud and rainy scenes in his Cityscapes shows that either the painter is impressed by the turbulent weather or is frustrated by the long dry spell in Karachi and visualizes such scenes for his spiritual satisfaction. The painter, who began painting after completing his master degree in Physics from Sindh University, Hyderabad, knew from childhood that there was a painter within him. After completing education, Mr Musawir shifted to Karachi.Sarfraz Musawir is now living in Lahore, Pakistan since 2007.

"Watercolor is a magical medium that captivates the viewer."

News

Treasure Trove of Pakistani art
45 artists to showcase their work at upcoming exhibition in d3Published: September 27, 2017
By Sharmila Dhal, Chief Reporter
From GulfNews

DubaiAn online art gallery is launching the works of 45 Pakistani artists, many of them newcomers, at a special show in Dubai Design District from October 6 to 8 in a bid to popularise Pakistani art on a global platform.Omar Ul Haq, founder and curator of Treasure Trove, said the show would be a marketplace to discover curated art from Pakistan which has a “phenomenal collection” to offer.“The artists we work with employ different styles ranging from calligraphy and abstract art to landscapes and figuratives. But many of them are not known at the international level, so we wanted to showcase their work to a wide audience,” said Haq.He said, “Art makes a lasting impact on the beholder — whether it is by a Pakistani or an international artist, a newcomer, or someone who is well established. We believe in art without boundaries.”Poignant storiesAmong the artists who will be exhibiting their works are Sasan Nasernia, Komail Aijazuddin, Hajra Mansoor, AQ Arif, Ali Abbas, Asif Ghayaz, Abrar, Qamar Siddiqui, Salman Farooqi, Raza Memon, Tanya Shah, Mohsin Shaikh, Sarfraz Musawir, Aadil Abedi, Muniba Mazari, Saeed Akhter, Moazzam Ali, Raja Changez Sultan, AS Rind and Khusro Subzwari. more info

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Jin'nay Lahore nai vekhya
The Nation

Visitors taking interest in the artwork of Sarfraz Musawir displayed during an exhibition entitled "jin'nay Lahore nai vekhya..." more info

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Poetic fantasies in watercolours
June 16, 2013 Web Desk
By: Ahtesham Azhar
Pakistan Press Foundation

Fine Arts Pakistan (FAP) has organised a group exhibition titled ‘Nature and Mortar’ by Abdul Hayee and Sarfraz Musawir featured on Sufism and natural beauty on the earth.Around 48 paintings are on display on the gallery walls.Musawir’s paintings revolve around two themes, Sufism and cityscapes.In one of Musawir’s paintings, a Sufi plays a horn. Loosely attired in typical Sufi clothes, wearing rings and beads hanging from the horn, it is a vibrant and colourful piece. Musawir captured the scene, which we often witness while visiting ‘Dargahs’. The traditional pompoms, ribbons and beads give the painting the necessary depth one feels while having a spiritual experience. more info

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Sarfraz Musawir is one who has successfully understood the behavior of aquarelle on paper. He also has an aptitude for strong colours with agreeable combinations that fill well to complete subject matter of his choice.His decisive contrasting lights, highlighting the middle tones and the enveloping darks create an impression that makes his works distinct and a welcome addition to the exhibits imported into Lahore. Many will derive pleasure from looking at his work.
Dr. Ajaz Anwar

Your rain reflections are truly incredible, they have such a delicate touch despite the complexity of the shades.Frederick Nazareth

What a wonderful, pretty and mind blowing watercolour wah-wah, I love them all your sense of composition and joyful splashes and Bold brush srtocks are marvelous, keep it up.Muhammad Ali Bhatti
Director FAD University of Sindh, Hyderabad.

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Watercolour had one of its most vigorous in Karachi in the decade of the 1990s when works by the Karachi Watercolourists caught the attention of viewing public. A loosely knit fraternity of trained artists and hobbyists, this group was bound by a shared enthusiasm for outdoor painting. It was their fidelity to the scenic and the picturesque in and around Karachi that endeared them to the public and soon their charming watercolours became a part of every Gallery’s repertoire.Artist Sarfraz Musawir ranks the few Karachi watercolourists who are still pursuing the medium with serious intent and purpose. His forte lies incapturing the fleeting moments through intelligent distribution of colours and deft stroke play. By manipulating the wet paint as little as possible and layering colours rather than mixing them on the palette, he is able to achieve the vibrancy and luminosity that is the hallmark of watercolour. Specializing in inner city street scenes Sarfraz Musawir’s work was initially confined to the scenic and the picturesque but in the current show he concentrated on figurative paintings that not only enlarge his repertoire but bring variation to his technique also. Representational renderings with considerable use of loose washes show the artist capability in handling forms without being confined by taut outlines. Sparking highlights in the painting are particularly noticeable instead of using pigment the artists simply leaves blank areas which shine through as clear white patches. Indeed it is the sweeping flow of a loaded brush that animates his art work with a lively sense of colour and rhythm.The quick spontaneous use of the brush has also facilitated a new development in the artist’s style. His monochrome paintings in sepia hues are linear, sketchy pieces, created by manipulating the brush as a pencil point. This is a shift towards the minimal where treatment and technique take precedence over content.Worldwide watercolour is undergoing excited changes regarding techniques and mixed media collaborations. One hopes that artist like Sarfraz Musawir who had adopted this genre as the main medium of expression, will strive to not only keep it alive but also endeavour to further it by way of innovation.Salwat Ali
Freelance Art Writer/Critic

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Watercolour landscape painting has become a particular tradition in Karachi where the city and its environs are explored by artists and depicted with fresh viewpoints. Sarfraz Musawir is an artist who, while maintaining this tradition, strives to add further dimensions to his work by using a classic technique combined with experimental serendipity. The method by which light becomes an element of the paper surface, is tempered by Sarfraz’s desire to analyze the capacity of the medium and its spontaneous response.Showing his work in group displays in Pakistan for over a decade, in this his third solo show exhibition, the artist offers a piquant, new approach to familiar scenes. His work while frequently bordering on ‘impressionism’, never forgoes the translucent qualities that are witness to his understanding of his chosen medium. This display is without doubt Sarfraz,s best to date.Marjorie Husain

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Dear Mr. Sarfraz Musawir,We are glad that your work has been selected for display at the International Watercolour Triennial Travelling Exhibition titled "Watercolour and Sprit" in the gallery "Rayko Alexiev", Sofia, starting from 12th January 2017. Your participation in the event is highly valuable to create and present soft image of Pakistan. I would be attending the opening ceremony of the exhibition on behalf of the embassy.Please accept the assurance of my highest consideration.Saeed ur Rehman
Deputy Head of Mission
Embassy of Pakistan
Sofia – Bulgaria