Salahuddin Mian (1938 – 28 February 2006) was

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

's first ceramic or pottery artist. He was born Mian Salahuddin.''Early life and family life'' in Born of Fire, Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, Karachi, Pakistan, edited by Noorjehan Bilgrami, 2008 Pg 20 According to Mian, his inspiration to become a ceramicist was because he was "born in the locality of potters in the town of Kasur."

Early life

Mian was born in

Kasur Kasur (Punjabi language, Punjabi / ; ; also Romanization, romanized as Qasūr; from pluralized Arabic word ''Qasr'' meaning "palaces" or "forts") is a city to the south of Lahore, in the Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. The city s ...

Punjab Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...

to an upper-middle-class

Arain Arain (also known as Raeen) are a large Punjabi Muslim agricultural community with a strong political identity and level of organisation. At the beginning of the last century, they numbered around 1 million and were mainly rural cultivator ...

family of 10 children.Anwer Mian, ''My beloved uncle,'' in Born of Fire, Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, Karachi, Pakistan, edited by Noorjehan Bilgrami, 2008 Pg 33 His father, Mian Mohammad Rafi was a landowner and farmer as well as member of the local council.

Education

He graduated from Government School in Kasur.''Early life and family life'' in Born of Fire, Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, Karachi, Pakistan, edited by Noorjehan Bilgrami, 2008 Pg 19 In 1958, he joined the

National College of Arts The National College of Arts (colloquially known as NCA) is a public university located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Overview The National College of Arts – Federally Chartered Institute, is the oldest art school in Pakistan and the second ...

(NCA),

Lahore Lahore ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and ...

, graduating four years later in 1962. While there, he studied under the Japanese ceramist, Koichi Takita Sensei. He was awarded a

Fulbright Scholarship The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States cultural exchange programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people ...

in 1965.

Personality

He reportedly "had a complex personality, respected among his peers but a loner". His father's murder deeply affected him. Shakir Ali, principal at the

, Pakistan used to take deep interest in his students, was delighted at the news that Mian Salahuddin had received the Fulbright Scholarship for a Ph.D degree in the United States. But when he suggested to Mian Salahuddin that he leave his artwork behind at NCA, Lahore, as he leaves for the United States, "Mian went berserk, smashing his pots in a rage until Shakir Ali and Adil stopped him". Shakir Ali then said, "Do what you like". Mian used to be very possessive of his artwork and used to get very nervous as the artwork was moved from one venue to the other.

His work

Mian Salahuddin was a talented artist and produced pieces of art liked by many people. He referred to groups of similar pieces as "the families". His contemporary painters in Pakistan included Bashir Mirza and Adil Salahuddin.Artworks Feature: Pakistan's potters
ABC.net (Australian website), Published 21 November 2009, Retrieved 5 January 2023

Teaching

He started his teaching career at National College of Arts (NCA) in 1963. Reportedly, as a teacher, he was a strict disciplinarian. He retired in 1998 as the head of the department.

Students

Amongst his students was Sheherezade Alam, Pakistan's first female ceramicist.

Death

He died as a result of brain cancer on 28 February 2006.

Exhibitions

* 1970: First solo exhibition, The Gallery,

Karachi Karachi is the capital city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Sindh, Pakistan. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, largest city in Pakistan and 12th List of largest cities, largest in the world, with a popul ...

. * 2008: Pottery Exhibition at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, Karachi