Man who made the most of white canvas is no more

Jalandhar, May 23

The evenings of the Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan used to be incomplete without his easel, canvas and a sterling portrait of the performing artists, such was his aura. City-based painter Amit Zurff (51) breathed his last on Sunday. He succumbed to Covid.

Prof Sarita Tiwari, actor, writer and academicican whose memoirs of her academician husband Dr VK Tiwari bore a portrait made by Amit, said, “It is shocking and sad. The untimely death of such a painter and a fine human being has left me numb. His mother had read my memoir and he had promised to bring her to my house. He left without fulfilling his promise. There was kindness in his art and aptness in his portraits. The art scene in Jalandhar will not be the same ever. Amit will be sorely missed.”

Amit religiously painted artists, vocalists, instrumentalists who performed at Harivallabh. A few years ago, an exhibition of his portraits was also held on the sidelines of the Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan.

He held workshops for students and taught them the craft of painting and papier mache . He famously vented his ire on the huge press club wall often questioning the government with his huge graffitis or banner-sized portraits on stinging issues. He also famously collaborated with many theatre productions and lent stage.

Theatrist Gurvinder said, “I met him day before yesterday and thought that his condition would improve. He was a documenter of our times. His grief flowed out in portraits on the demise of painter MF Hussain and ace actor Om Puri. He painted countless classical music stalwarts creating a collection of sorts.” — TNS