LAHORE: A distinct exhibition of paintings entitled `Dedicated To You` by Dr Sumera Jawad and Zarmena Aslam that opened at Ejaz Art Gallery, MM Alam Road, on Tuesday made a number of gallery visitors to ponder over the connection between a rose and a woman.

The art show was also a lofty comment on the off-screen life of those related with performing arts, especially female artists, who whimper inside at the insensitivity of society to them but at the same time try to look lovely and elegant.

The well-attended exhibition was inaugurated by Punjab University ViceChancellor Prof Mujahid Kamran. The guest of honor on the occasion was PU College of Art and Design Principal Prof Dr Shahida Manzoor.

Artists, commercial art galleries owners, students, art fanciers and others attended the exhibition which will remain open till June 16.

Since the paintings on display had two novel themes, the visitors interest was immense. Dr Sumera Jawad`s paintings revolved around the theme of rose and female and the centuries-old connection between the two.

According to the artist, the rose and the female share fragile folds and fantasies which compliment each other with similes and metaphors of purity, virgin-ity, secrets and fertility of regeneration.

`Both have given voice to the unfathomable imagination of poets and helped history of mankind to become aromatic, she said.

Zarmena Aslam`s works stressed that performing arts people should be given due respect, especially the female artists. `There is a huge contrast between her (the female artists) appearance and soul. Selling dreams and risking self respectis notfor the sake of herselfin fact, it is the survival of the fittest`. Her paintings had great symbolism. The away from glamour world life of a female artiste had been well depicted through her paintings.

Veteran artist Saeed Akhtar, com-menting on the artworks said: `Figurative paintings have always a subject considered difhcult, to understand anatomy and draw figures in shape is a hard task, both of the artists had commendably dealt with this subject` To art teacher and artist Asad Faroogi the exhibition had much to say about females, the value and importance of a female in the prevalent society` Those who were prominent among the guests on the occasionincluded art educationist Samina Zia Sheikh from PU Fine Arts Department, cartoonist Javed Iqbal, artist Munawar Muhyyudin and officials from Punjab Council of Arts.