Reclaiming identity: Promoting ‘essence of Pakistan’ through art

Exhibition features works by young and promising artists

ISLAMABAD: Artwork depicting love for Pakistan from various perspectives is on display at a local gallery.

The exhibition, “Reclaiming Identity” at My Art World features works of three Karachi-based artists -- Sabika Yousaf, Bilqis Ajam Tabani and Narmeen Gohar.

The artworks feature a range of different techniques and mediums including the traditional oil on canvas, digital print, acrylic and silver lead on canvas with various materials such as cummerbund, namaz (prayer) caps, parandas, cloth and peacock feathers.

The striking element of the exhibition is the works of Bilqis Ajam Tabani, who has used unique materials and incorporated them into her works to give a rather interesting feel.

Tabani told The Express Tribune that she had used humble materials, which people did not give much importance to but carry the essence of Pakistaniat.

“I then manipulate the articles to give them a new form but still keep a hint of the original object intact. For the exhibition, I made a selfie station, where people can take pictures wearing glasses and a pagri decorated with animal necklaces, parandas, cummerbunds and feathers. I paint migrant or native birds. They inspire my art and help me see what we should be thankful for in our homeland”, she said.

Yousaf said that her work highlights issues regarding how the bigger picture was often ignored while looking at Karachi.

“We often ignore the most important aspects of life as we are extremely busy in our daily routine. I chose this theme as I personally felt this during the last couple of years – with the constant hullabaloo in my home city of Karachi.”

The silhouettes in my work are constantly trying to camouflage with the environment, expressing the concept of that balance or the bubble we chose to live in, she said.

Gohar’s work using traditional oil on canvas may have a typical theme but her ideas are rather stimulating for the mind. Her work features brilliant colours including the dull brown and beige with livelier shades of green, blue and pink.

Gohar said that her paintings feature backgrounds or objects from the 1980s, which were rarely seen today.

“Nowadays traditional works in oil are fading away as compared to more modern and contemporary art, which is gradually taking over,” she said.

Zara Sajid, the curator of the gallery said that the idea of the exhibition was to commemorate Pakistan Day by bringing three emerging artists from Karachi who presented a series of works in various mediums depicting their feelings and emotions about their surroundings.

“All the works come together to narrate a story about the youth’s affinity to their homeland from various perspectives”, she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 25^th, 2016.