“He never thought he would die. Even when he came home after recovering from Covid, he was still working on a ‘Memory Drawing’ project for a children’s book," his daughter Manzil said. (Express Photo) Refusing to part with his brushes and palette even when admitted to the ICU, Punjab artist Amit Zurrf (51) died of post Covid complications at Jalandhar’s Innocent Hearts Hospital on Sunday.
Zurrf’s last rites were held Monday at Jalandhar. He created four watercolor works while he was admitted in the ICU and on oxygen support after being diagnosed with Covid.
“He wanted to teach art to every child possible and had even started online classes during lockdown”, his daughter says. (Express Photo)
Known for his live paintings on a watercolour medium across Punjab, Zurrf had painted a collection of over 350 Indian classical musicians. “He not only painted artistes live but also took their autographs on those artworks. From flautist Hari Prasad Chaurasia to Grammy Award winner Vishwa Mohan Bhatt to the late Pandit Jasraj, my father had painted them live,” his daughter Manzil Singh said.
“He never thought he would die. Even when he came home after recovering from Covid, he was still working on a ‘Memory Drawing’ project for a children’s book. He wanted to teach art to every child possible and had even started online classes during lockdown. When he came home from hospital, he said that Covid has taught him one lesson—every person is alone and has to find his/her own way. Art was the only thing that gave him peace, even during Covid,” said Manzil.
His collection of over 350 artworks would now be preserved at his home and family is planning to convert it into an art gallery. (Express Photo)
Zurff and his daughters Anjum Singh and Manzil and ran the Easelz Art Academy in Jalandhar. His love for art did not stop even when he was severely ill in hospital, though the paintings he made while in ICU gave a glimpse of what he was experiencing.
“In all four artworks that he created when he was in the ICU, he has drawn a lone man. In one the man is walking towards a jungle, the other is of a monk walking alone on a path, third is of a man standing along amid mountains and the fourth of a man rowing a boat. He was back home from ICU after recovering from Covid but on Sunday his condition deteriorated again and when we were taking him to hospital again, his exact words were ‘Main abhi marna nahi chahta (I don’t want to die yet)’,” Manzil said.
“His artworks are not for sale. We will preserve them for his students and other followers to see,” Manzil said. (Express Photo)
His collection of over 350 artworks would now be preserved at his home and family is planning to convert it into an art gallery. “His artworks are not for sale. We will preserve them for his students and other followers to see,” Manzil said.
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