Artful blend: A symphony of colours

The theme of Muhammad Ali Bhatti’s works revolves around contemporary social issues.

KARACHI: The exhibition on display at the Momart Art Gallery is, as curator Shammi Ahmed puts it, an expression of the artist’s view on life.

Featuring the works of artist Muhammad Ali Bhatti, the exhibition titled ‘Empty souls’ opened at the gallery on Thursday and is set to run till March 14.



When asked about the general theme of the exhibition, Bhatti said that the essence of our society can be seen in the empty, lifeless and confused souls he has painted. According to him, these souls represent the constant societal pressures and insecurity that we live in. Moreover, he has blended the colours of his ‘dharti’ [Sindh] with the chaos that the society has become due to socio-political conditions.

An interesting aspect of Bhatti’s works is that there is constant movement between different elements. Nothing is complete in its distinct way but when linked with something else it gives out quite a vibrant message to a viewer. For instance, you will see an alphabet in the process of formation only to be followed by a picture of a statue or a pattern and then nothing but many streaks of greens and reds.

“The paintings have a bit of everything from our rich history to the present times,” he said. “It is actually a contemporary expression as I believe art should influence society.”

Pointing towards random alphabets, he said he has something thoughtful to express through them. “They represent our Constitution. It’s a written word, full of text. But no one knows exactly what it says.”



Another intriguing feature of Bhatti’s expression on the canvases is the defined and the not-so-defined silhouettes of faces that he calls ‘empty souls’. From one angle, one might think there is nothing but just blends of colours like all the other canvases.

But from a closer, different angle, you might be able to discover the outline of a nose or faces telling different stories through expression. “I have taken symbolism beyond just concrete shapes,” said Bhatti while commenting on the use of so much of illustration and meaning on a single canvas.

According to the curator, Bhatti’s artworks are inspired by the pressures and hardships that people living in villages have to bear. “It’s more of wishful thinking on his part that a village life should be a symphony of colours,” said Ahmed.

Talking about the presence of calligraphy, designs and patterns of Sindhi origin, she said that they are derived from our history, particularly the Indus Valley civilisation.

Ali Muhammad, a visitor and an avid art enthusiast, said that he loved the idea of random text symbolising the Constitution and not making sense. “It is very apt as these days you hardly see anything making sense,” he said. “The politicians with their feudalism are all a mad circus around us.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2015.