Dwelling in the details: Uncovering the subdued and the animal inside

Artist Shakil Saigol exhibits at Khaas Art Gallery.

ISLAMABAD:

A critic or the artist himself doesn’t need to say much to the audience in order to describe the immaculate brushwork or the inspiration Shakil Saigol took to create his collection. Indeed, the mark of a good artist lies in the ability of using fewer words to describe his work.

The animalistic aesthetic of Saigol’s work resonates in the simplicity of the canvas and the intricate details he emphasises. Like Dali, Hockney and Rousseau, Saigol believes that the beauty and perfection can only be achieved if the draughtsmanship is excellent. His latest show opened at Khaas Art Gallery on Thursday.

“The artist conveys a subjective experience and the viewer is the recipient of this experience; this two way dialogue is essential to every art practice,” said Saigol.

In his work, the collision of the zebra with the human body exudes an animalistic nature each individual posses. This juxtaposition is not only alluring but provocative at the same time. Even the nude figurines shy away from the viewer drawing the onlooker more so into the artwork than anything else. The bold zebras are placed with more subdued yet powerful human bodies. The fluidity and the movement that the figures have are almost lifelike.

“The movement within the work is fantastic,” said Sabrina Aftab, the vice principal of MSI Preschool.

The beauty of Saigol’s work lies in the details. Charcoal sketching infused in gold and silver leaf along with a mixture of oil painting brings his work alive, while the jamawar print that covers the body of the human brightens up the dichotomy of the medium.

The provocative nature of the work, while beautiful, can disturb those who are not comfortable within their own skin.

The interpretation is left to the viewers’ discretion. Some might see a cultural experience and others might derive the animal that dwells within us.

Sameena Janjor, a local businesswoman, said, “The lines and the jamawar are striking; it’s beautifully done and the charcoal work is lovely.”

Priced between Rs150,000 to Rs700,000, the collection is a collectors item. The exhibit will last till September 25.





Published in The Express Tribune, September 16^th, 2011.