Faizan Peerzada
Faizan Peerzada | |
|---|---|
| Born | Syed Faizan Peerzada 1958 |
| Died | 21 December 2012 (aged 54) Lahore, Punjab |
| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Occupation(s) | Artist, puppeteer, theatre director |
| Awards | Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence) for puppetry from the Government of Pakistan in 2004 |
Faizan Peerzada (Urdu: فیضان پیرزادہ) (born 1958 Lahore – died 21 December 2012, Lahore) was a Pakistani artist, puppeteer and theater director.[1][2]
Career
Peerzada began painting and crafting puppets as a young adult and his lifelong passion for the arts colored the course of his entire life. His mark in the artistic world remains as a puppeteer, a painter and a patron of the arts. Peerzada also received the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, the Presidential Award for Puppetry in 2004.[1]
Life of Faizan Peerzada
Faizan Peerzada was born, with a twin brother Sadaan, in Lahore, Pakistan in 1958. He was one of the sons of Pakistan's leading theatre playwright Rafi Peer along with his brothers Salman Peerzada and Usman Peerzada. Faizan finished his basic schooling at St. Anthony High School, Lahore, Pakistan and then attended the National College of Arts, Lahore without finishing his education there.[1][3][2]
Faizan started his career at Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop in 1977.[3] He held his first painting exhibition at the American Cultural Centre, Karachi in 1977[1][2]
Faizan held approximately 40 painting exhibitions in Pakistan, and 26 solo art exhibitions in the United States and Europe.
Faizan began his career at Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop, and later became the artistic director there in 1979.[1]
He especially designed programmes to celebrate the 'International Year of the Child' spread over the entire year, designed three major art festivals in which at least 35,000 children participated in a span of six months in 1980.[1][2]
Faizan's fascination for lights began (He designed stages and lights for several Pakistani and International events) for 'Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop' in 1992.[1]
'Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop' develops plays mainly for youth and child audiences and holds collabrative project events with international groups. It later founded the 'Museum of Puppetry' in Lahore, Pakistan in 2004.[1]
He was appointed the president of UNIMA (world-wide puppetry organisation) in Pakistan.[1][2]
Faizaan and his other family members produced Sim Sim Hamara (Our Sim Sim), a Pakistani version of Sesame Street in 2011.[1][2]
Death
Faizan Peerzada died of a heart attack at the age of 54 on 21 December 2012, in Lahore, Pakistan.[1][3]
Awards and recognition
- Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence) Award for puppetry by the Government of Pakistan in 2004.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Faizaan Peerzada (Pakistani puppeteer) profile and obituary". World Encyclopedia of Puppetry Arts website. 23 July 2019. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Essa Malik, Kiran Shahid and Sher Khan (21 December 2012). "Faizan Peerzada: The saviour of puppets". The Express Tribune newspaper. Archived from the original on 27 January 2025. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ a b c "Renowned puppeteer, sculptor Faizan Peerzada dies". Dawn newspaper. 21 December 2012. Archived from the original on 27 May 2025. Retrieved 27 May 2025.