We all know about the incredible historical significance of the great Saadat Hassan Manto. A writer, playwright and author producing some of the most exceptional pieces of content to ever come out of the subcontinent.
However what many of you may not know, is the grandson of the great Manto, Farhan Manto, an extremely talented artist in his own right.
And when we say extremely talented,
We mean, extremely.
Like, wow.
When speaking to MangoBaaz, Farhan said, “I was good in drawing as a child, I started practicing in my own in 96-97′. I started with charcoal murals then, later on, tried out all other mediums. I never had a teacher or went to any art school, all self-taught and God-gifted.”
According to his Facebook page and clearly, much of his art, horses, in particular, are of special interest to Farhan.
In an interview with Talib Qizilbash, he said, “To me, a horse is a symbol of beauty, dominance, and perfection.”
He went on to say:
“The way this beast has been physically created complements its wild nature and free will. The harmony between both inspires me. Horses are of a breed unique to Fantasyland. They are capable of galloping full-tilt all day without a rest. Sometimes they do not require food or water. They never cast shoes, go lame or put their hooves down holes, as when the forces of the Dark Lord are only half an hour behind. They never otherwise stumble…They never resist being mounted or blow out so that their girths slip, or do any of the other things that make horses so chancy in this world. For instance, they never shy and seldom whinny or demand sugar at inopportune moments.”
Also fun fact? The artist paints with his canvases resting on the floor as opposed to an easel. In the same interview, he said:
“I can walk around the canvas and paint from all sides. It helps me to be more with the painting.”
Farhan said in terms of his painting technique, “For me, the process of painting is more like an escape from my conscious, an urge to see the possibilities, astonishes my own abilities and bring me to my limits.”
It’s clear that the apple does not fall far from the tree and that Farhan Manto is an absolute force to be reckoned with in the art world.
Cover photo via Farhanmantoart Via: Instagram