Between Heaven and Earth: Artist juxtaposes images to create new scenarios

Exhibition on the theme of natural landscapes features work of four artists

LAHORE:

A group exhibition featuring work of four artists is underway at Taseer Art Gallery.

The pieces displayed at the exhibition, titled Between Heaven and Earth, are based on landscapes made using various media and techniques.

Atif Khan, a faculty member at the National College of Arts, says his work has been inspired by the tradition of storytelling. “My work is open-ended. Viewers can relate to it based on their own understanding and approach towards social and political issues,” he says.

By juxtaposing images taken from miniature paintings about various historical eras with those about contemporary time, Khan says he has attempted to subvert the messages in the individual images. The viewers can, thus, imagine scenarios beyond the time-and-space context.

Raja Najamul Hassan says his landscape paintings are inspired by his love for nature. “I think beauty is all around us. The hustle and bustle of everyday routine often makes us miss this point,” he says.

He says he has captured the mood, atmosphere, sounds and smells of various natural landscapes in his work.

Faraz Amir has made an installation titled The Inner Void.

It is a 4x3.5x 7.5 feet cubicle with a door on one side. Inside the cubicle, there are mirrors on the three walls.

There is a pair of headphones with the sound of oceanic waves played on the loop. “One person can enter the cubicle at a time. The idea is to let the person listen to the sound of the sea for as long as he wishes”, he says.

He says he has designed the cubicle to allow a slight vibration of the mirrors, in resonance with push and pull of the tide. “I wanted to create an immersive experience of natural sounds, Amir says.

Amir says the exhibition’s focus is on redefining the practice of landscape painting. He says his participation in the exhibition has inspired him to delve deeper into his approach to the art.

The fourth artist at the exhibition is Emaan Shiekh. Her work includes sketches of landscapes. She says it’s inspired by the different places she has visited so far.

The exhibition will continue till May 6.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 3^rd, 2016.