The art of storytelling through illustrations

Artists narrate issues of daily life that have largely been ignored in the face of other social and political issues

LAHORE: An exhibition presenting social satire through illustrations and graphically designed cut-paste artworks went on display at Taseer Art Gallery.

The show titled Qissa Goi (storytelling) by Haider Ali Jan and Mohsin Shafi presents a narrative on daily life issues that have largely been ignored in the face of other pressing social and political problems.



Talking about his work and inspiration, Jan said his art references images in popular culture, photo-journalism, cinema and television.



“I use media sources such as digital animation, projections and paintings to re-contextualise and distil these iconic images to their most essential form,” said Jan. “By doing so, my work communicates the symbolic power these images have on the collective psyche and underscores a keen understanding of how images shape our experience and memory of events.”

Explaining the process through which he completes his art, Jan said by working with images, videos and clippings, he tries to mould the narrative to generate another layer of meaning by hiding, skipping and reinforcing elements by choice, which alters the intent of the original. “Through my artwork, I create a layer on top of an already existing layer of film or a photograph.”



According to Mohsin Shafi, since he is a story writer and illustrates his books, the idea of an exhibition came about with the intention of telling many stories through artworks rather than books.



Shafi said his artworks involve photographs that he has been collecting for some time during his travels. They have been compiled in a certain arrangement to tell a story.



He added by using mediums such as print making, etchings, photo transfer, acrylics and water paints, he combines the images into a collage making technique which became popular in Germany after World War II.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 16^th, 2017.