Art show: An ode to identity

Artistic trio create art based on their perception of their own identities.

KARACHI: Most artists are inclined towards incorporating identity in their work. Such is the case with artists Manizhe Ali, Ali Khan and Paul-Mehdi Rizvi, all of whom presented their works in mixed medium at the Full Circle Gallery. An artistic performance was also held at the gallery on Friday evening.



Ali used old images of her family to rekindle a bond of affection and, using digital prints on archival paper, she toyed with gold and silver leaves to leave traces on these images. Viewers become acquainted with her paternal family members, her mother and the artist herself. "Memory and identity plays a very crucial role," explained Ali.

"There are a few stories that never ever die and remain in your head. Some of those memories are passed down and though they may not seem real to you, they are a part of your past. There is also a layered concept of romanticism involved in your memory."

According to her, history is getting lost on us. "I am trying to cherish these images and for the sake of my own identity, I want these images to remain intact," she said. "As you get to live in many countries, you need to own it, for memories only create history in the long run."

Each of us is a nomad, said Khan. "We filter our thoughts and then we process them," he said. "It shouldn't be so; we should not be filtering it. Imagery comes from the subconscious." His art was created using charcoal on canvas, sand and pigment on canvas and a few digital prints to bring to life his series of artistic imagination.



The third artist, Rizvi, focused on mixed media on wood and cloth and assembled a collection, which, in his own words, delved into Aristotelian concepts. "I decided to work on an Aristotelian concept of presence and absence [contrasting with] substance and matter," he said. "We need to establish those differences. When I was able to finish the series I realised each piece had its own identity and was relatable."



Later, Ali and Khan held a small artistic performance in which she would ring a bell for people to assemble as he painted her fingers in gold. She then asked participants to write on her bare hands.

The exhibition, titled 'Artists of The Manifesto of Nomadism', is on display at Full Circle Gallery till January 20.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 2^nd, 2017.