Traditionally modern: ‘Grains of Sand’ take art lovers through time

Six artists display Sufi-inspired work at Satrang Gallery.

ISLAMABAD: An exhibition featuring artworks of six artists opened up at the Satrang Gallery on Wednesday. The artists, Ali Asad Naqvi, Amna Ilyas, Mohammad Ali Talpur, Noor Ali Chagani, Quratulain Shams and Sana Arjumand, have displayed their work under the title ‘Grains of Sand’.

The exhibition is steeped in spirituality and inspired by Sufi philosophy. Drawing upon the mystical emphasis on repetition, the artists use recurring strokes, motifs and technique in their art pieces; particularly love which is depicted throughout the series.

“We are proud to present an exhibition showcasing the diverse work of six artists who have been inspired by the tenants of spiritual and philosophical Sufi thought and poetry. They pay homage to this ancient mystical tradition, a form of Islam that celebrates love, life and truth,” said Zahra Khan, the gallery’s curator.

The state of individual mind and soul influences some of these artworks. A child from a broken home, Chagani uses delicate miniature bricks to create solid constructions, creating a foundation upon which to safely build the rest of his life. Chagani thus preserves his sense of self and personal space.



Meanwhile, Shams is also inspired by the silence and introspection she finds within herself. Her pale paintings depict quiet moments, punctuated by a harsh reality. Their collaborations appear to be delicate and fragile formations yet solid concrete constructions.

The artworks achieve an inherent natural visual harmony and rhythm. Naqvi and Talpur draw upon the geometric and textural aspects of Sufi philosophy. Both artists create intricate patterns which cover much of the surface of their artworks. Talpur’s arrangements and designs weave mystical combinations of visual and spoken poetry, forming new language. Naqvi’s representations, alternatively, are executed with specific tools and are exceedingly precise. Their precision and implementation imbues the art with an apparent freedom and wildness.



Naqvi’s artwork is a play and practice of meditative processes. “My work is an exploration of technique,” said Naqvi, who has scratched on photo pattern to create different, multi-layered patterns. “These are repetitive circles. I just randomly drew a circle and from that, I kept on improvising.  The circle itself has spiritual connotations, being the basic unit of Islam.

Finally, Arjumand and Ilyas, empowered by the emphasis on light and purity, highlight clarity and texture. Both the artists accentuate reflection in their artworks and create pieces that are a soulful celebration of radiance. Ilyas utilises negative and positive spaces to portray natural creation, while Arjumand depicts the cycles of moon in order to portray the ebb, flow and progression of love.

A large acrylic painting from Arjumand’s pieces ‘moon series’, was displayed on a wall and was a focal point of her collection. “It’s very bold piece and the current work is very different from her previous body of work that I had seen,” said Naeem Qadir, a guest at the exhibition.

“My punch line for my work is ‘the moon is a lover’ and because love is the main pillar of spirituality, because basically when you are being spiritual, you’re loving the unseen,” Arjumand said.

Commenting on the display, the gallery’s director Asma Rashid Khan, said, “It is really interesting to see how the artists have imbibed the spirit of Sufism into their daily lives, and shared their own narratives with us.” Sufi thought and expression is more relevant now than ever, she added.

Turkish Ambassador Babur Girgin inaugurated the exhibition. “I found this to be a very interesting exhibition in that it has a modern art aspect to it, but referring to traditional values and roots and the traditions are something we share — culture in Pakistan and the culture in Turkey — which is essentially the continuation of the same,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13^th, 2014.