Historic Magazine Covers Exhibition 'Dastavez 2' Opens in Lucknow
Historic Magazine Covers Exhibition Opens in Lucknow

Historic Magazine Covers Exhibition 'Dastavez 2' Opens in Lucknow

A remarkable exhibition titled 'Dastavez 2 — The Fragrance of Yesterday' has commenced at the Kala Strot Art Gallery in Lucknow. This unique showcase presents a curated selection of magazine covers published both in India and abroad, offering a visual journey through major global and national events spanning nearly a century, from 1925 to 2023.

A Legacy of Three Generations

The exhibition features exhibits meticulously collected by three generations of the Usmani family. IRS officer and archivist Suboor Usmani, who inherited this passion from his father and grandfather, has curated the display. "Though we have more than 1,000 covers of prominent magazines, I have put on display 74 in the exhibition," Suboor Usmani stated. The collection began with his grandfather, Syed-Ul Hasan Usmani, who started gathering major magazine covers in 1925. This legacy was continued by Suboor's father, Wajeeh Usmani.

Global and National Highlights on Display

The exhibition includes iconic magazine covers capturing pivotal moments in history:

  • The coronation of King George V as published by 'The Illustrated Weekly' in 1937.
  • Photographs of the moon landing by Neil Armstrong featured in 'Life' magazine in August 1969.
  • 'Time' magazine's issue from March 29, 1999, highlighting the 100 most influential minds of the century, including Albert Einstein.
  • National icons such as Munshi Premchand are also represented.

Additionally, visitors can view:

  1. The cover of The Times of India annual publication from 1950, which covered cultural, social, and political highlights of that era.
  2. The cover page of Time magazine from January 28, 1966, featuring Indira Gandhi.
  3. The cover of the Lucknow City Magazine from November 1989, with illustrations depicting the launch of the 1989 Lok Sabha election battle.

Exhibition Details and Accessibility

The exhibition is open to the public and will remain accessible until March 11. Viewing hours are from 2 PM to 8 PM daily. This event follows the success of the first exhibition, 'Dastavez 1', which focused on newspapers, further cementing the Usmani family's dedication to preserving historical media artifacts.