Artists paint nostalgia of memories and heart

The work of the artists portray the influence of their past and surroundings

LAHORE: “Socio-Domestic” a visual commentary on the shared spaces like homes, bazaars, railway stations is currently on display at O Art Gallery.

According to its curator Irfan Gal, the exhibition by two young artists Zahid Mayo and Zahra Asim was also a reflection on the spaces and paradigms of the individual minds.

“We are influenced by our surroundings and our surrounding is shaped by our actions,” Irfan said.



Speaking about his work and inspirational process Mayo said he was a storyteller and he believed that stories need not always be structured from words or be verbally told and heard.

“Keeping this premise in mind, I want to narrate these stories through a visual form in so much that I am a witness of my times as well as a testimony to my existence,” Mayo said.



“I am not able to face my subconsciousness directly so with the help of my photography and sketchbook I let go of my subconscious.”

“I cover the subject in the garb of traditional photography and finally express the narrative on to my canvas,” he added.

Mayo was born and raised in a small town of Punjab, Alipur Chatha. He learned calligraphy in his early years at school where Takhti Mashq (calligraphy handwriting exercise) was an important segment of learning. He graduated from National College of Arts in 2015 and has been working independently since then.

Zahra Asim’s work is a narrative of her love-hate relationship with congested spaces, especially of Old Lahore, where she spent most of her childhood. Her work is presented in such a way that it looks more like various snapshots of ordinary indoor spaces crowded with everyday stuff.



According to Zahra,when you have a reliable memory and nostalgic heart, every ordinary moment can be transformed into an event.

“I love to paint my journey of transformation from being bothered by those overfilling and sometimes suffocating spaces to being nostalgic and romantic about them,” she said. The exhibition will conclude on October 20.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 11^th, 2017.