A tribute ceremony honouring Sadequain, one of the most prominent and influential contemporary artists of Pakistan, accompanied by the inauguration of an exhibition of his works, was held on Monday, 28 September 2026, at the ECO Cultural Institute (ECI) in Tehran.
Tehran – 28 September 2026
Titled “A Look at the Life, Art and Enduring Legacy of Sadequain,” the programme was organized in collaboration with the Sadequain Foundation and the Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA), with the aim of introducing different dimensions of the artist’s life and artistic career and examining his place in contemporary Pakistani and regional art. The event also provided an opportunity to explore the cultural and artistic ties between Iran and Pakistan and the shared place of calligraphy, literature and art in the cultural heritage of the region.
The ceremony was attended by H.E. Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Hassan, President of the ECO Cultural Institute; H.E. Mr. Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the Islamic Republic of Iran; Dr. Salman Ahmad, Founder and Chairman of the Sadequain Foundation; Dr. Mohammad Reza Moridi, Associate Professor and faculty member at the University of Art, Iran; as well as diplomats, university professors, researchers and art enthusiasts. The programme also featured video messages and specialized presentations on Sadequain’s artistic legacy.
Session Moderator: Art as a Platform for Cultural Dialogue
The programme opened with welcoming remarks by Dr. Elaheh Sadat Mousavi-Nejad, Session Moderator and Cultural Expert at the ECO Cultural Institute.
Referring to Sadequain’s position in the history of contemporary Pakistani art, she highlighted the capacity of such programmes to facilitate dialogue among artists, researchers and art enthusiasts across the region. She also described the tribute and exhibition at the ECO Cultural Institute as an opportunity to revisit the cultural and artistic connections shared by the countries of the region.
ECI President: Sadequain, an Artist Beyond Geographical Boundaries
In his remarks, H.E. Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Hassan, President of the ECO Cultural Institute, welcomed the guests and spoke about Sadequain’s place in contemporary Pakistani art.
Referring to Sadequain’s extensive work in painting, calligraphy and poetry, the ECI President described him as a multifaceted artist whose work transcended Pakistan’s geographical boundaries and became part of the broader artistic heritage of the region.
Explaining the rationale behind holding the programme in Tehran, Ambassador Hassan noted that such events are not intended merely to introduce a prominent artistic figure, but also to explore a shared cultural space that connects Iran, Pakistan, Türkiye and the Central Asian countries through poetry, calligraphy, literature and artistic traditions.
He also referred to the visual characteristics of Sadequain’s works, noting that calligraphy in his art acquires a dynamic and expressive character, while his elongated and stylized human figures go beyond anatomical representation and convey themes such as the human condition, suffering, struggle, solitude, faith and human dignity.
The ECI President further referred to several Iranian artistic movements and artists associated with the development of calligraphic painting, including Reza Mafi, Faramarz Pilaram and Hossein Zenderoudi, highlighting the similarities and differences between artistic approaches in Iran and Pakistan and the potential for comparative study of Sadequain’s work alongside modern Iranian art.
Ambassador of Pakistan: Sadequain as Part of Pakistan’s Cultural Identity
In his remarks, H.E. Mr. Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the Islamic Republic of Iran, expressed appreciation to the ECO Cultural Institute for organizing the programme and spoke about Sadequain’s place in the cultural and artistic history of Pakistan.
He described Sadequain not only as a distinguished artist but also as an important figure in Pakistan’s cultural identity, emphasizing the influence of his work beyond national borders.
The Ambassador also stressed the importance of cultural programmes of this nature in promoting greater mutual understanding between Iran and Pakistan and noted that the exhibition in Tehran provided an opportunity for Iranian audiences to become more familiar with the artistic legacy of Sadequain.
The Sadequain Foundation’s Perspective on the Artist’s Life and Legacy
Another segment of the programme featured a video message by Dr. Salman Ahmad, Founder and Chairman of the Sadequain Foundation.
In his remarks, Dr. Salman Ahmad discussed different aspects of Sadequain’s personality, thought and artistic career, describing him as a multifaceted artist active in painting, calligraphy and poetry.
Referring to Sadequain’s approach to art and life, he highlighted the artist’s simple lifestyle and distance from material pursuits, while sharing examples of Sadequain’s views on art and human values.
A further part of his presentation focused on the scale and breadth of Sadequain’s artistic output. According to information published by the Sadequain Foundation, the artist created more than 15,000 works, including paintings, drawings, calligraphic works and murals, while more than 45 murals were executed by him during his artistic career in Pakistan, India, the Middle East, Europe and other regions.
The Sadequain Foundation also identifies the artist’s murals as an important part of his artistic legacy and refers to the presence of his works in various cultural and academic institutions, including the Lahore Museum, University of the Punjab, Mangla Dam, Frere Hall in Karachi and Aligarh University in India.
Dr. Salman Ahmad also addressed Sadequain’s understanding of art and its relationship with human life, emphasizing, through the artist’s own perspective, that Sadequain’s concerns extended beyond decorative representation to the human condition, the struggle for survival and the realities of social life.
Academic Session: Sadequain and the Convergence of Modern Art in Iran and Pakistan
The programme continued with a specialized presentation by Dr. Mohammad Reza Moridi, Associate Professor and faculty member at the University of Art, Iran, titled “Sadequain’s Painterly Calligraphy: The Convergence of Modern Art in Pakistan and Iran in the 1970s.”
Dr. Moridi examined the relationship between tradition and modernity in Iranian and Pakistani art, noting that artists in both countries during the 1960s and 1970s faced a shared question: how to reinterpret indigenous heritage and artistic traditions within the language of modern art.
He further examined Sadequain’s use of letters and calligraphic elements, explaining that in his works, letters move beyond their purely textual function and become independent visual elements characterized by movement, weight, direction and visual structure.
According to Dr. Moridi, the study of modern art in the region requires attention to the connections and exchanges among different artistic centres, including Tehran, Karachi, Lahore, Baghdad and Beirut, and Sadequain can be examined within this broader network of artistic interactions.
Inauguration of the Sadequain Exhibition
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the exhibition of Sadequain’s works was inaugurated at the ECO Cultural Institute Gallery in the presence of the speakers and distinguished guests.
Visitors viewed a selection of Sadequain’s works in painting, painterly calligraphy and calligraphy, gaining a closer insight into aspects of the artist’s artistic legacy and the distinctive visual characteristics of his work.
Alongside the academic session, the exhibition provided an opportunity to introduce part of Sadequain’s artistic heritage to Iranian audiences and to highlight the potential of art and shared cultural heritage to strengthen cultural interaction between Iran, Pakistan and other countries of the region.
Held at the ECO Cultural Institute in collaboration with the Sadequain Foundation and the Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA), the programme was organized within the framework of ECI’s mission to promote cultural and artistic cooperation among the Member States of the Economic Cooperation Organization, providing an opportunity to introduce prominent artistic figures of the region and foster further dialogue among artists, researchers and cultural institutions.