Thesis exhibition: ‘Exploring life through imagination’

Students of Fatima Jinnah Women University display their work.

LAHORE:

Fatima Jinnah Women University on Wednesday opened its annual art degree show titled Act of Balance at the Alhamra Art Gallery. The exhibition was inaugurated by artist Imran Qureshi.

As many as 65 pieces in mixed media on canvas, acrylic on Lasani, various types of miniatures, Siyah Kalam, Safed Kalam, gold leaf, silver leaf, gad rang, tea wash, oil on canvas, mixed media gouache and marble sculptures by 24 bachelors and masters students were displayed.

Sabita Shaukat, one of the artists, said her thesis was about the burden of studies.

“I chose a very common issue,” she said.

“I used a tree to show that even the strongest can break under too much burden.”



Shaukat said she had used clay, plastic, fibre glass and jute.

Sana Malik, said, “We interact with one another in our lives. These interactions help us construct our sense of self and enable us to question how we fit in our surroundings.

Self-consciousness or self-awareness is the subject of my thesis. I have grouped together images of routine activities the viewer can identify with.”

Safia Sher, whose work was titled The Universe Within, said her work depicted the images in her subconscious.

Sher said recognition of sub-conscious imagery was an important phase in self-discovery. “Subconscious imagery creates our imagination,” she said. “Recognising our subconscious opens a universe of colours inside us.”

Artist Sidra Ashraf said her work was based on dreams.

“My motto is: All that we see or do is a dream within a dream,” she said. Ashraf said she had used gouache and marbling for most her work.

Mehar Afshan said her thesis topic was garden sculptures. She said she had tried to show a sense of freedom in nature.

The exhibition will close on January 15.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2014.