Art exhibit reimagines power of refusal

Show explores rejection as a catalyst for growth, resilience and self-discovery

ISLAMABAD:

The National Art Gallery on Thursday unveiled "REJECTED", the culminating exhibition of OffGrid Residency Chapter 4, showcasing new works by sixteen contemporary artists from Lahore and Islamabad who explore the transformative power of rejection through diverse artistic mediums.

The exhibition, which opened on June 18, was inaugurated by a group of distinguished senior artists who witnessed the residency's creative journey and acknowledged the importance of dialogue, mentorship and artistic exchange in nurturing contemporary art practice.

Developed during a two-week intensive residency programme, "REJECTED" challenges conventional perceptions of rejection, presenting it not as an endpoint but as a catalyst for growth, resilience and self-discovery.

Through ceramics, painting, sculpture, mixed-media installations, calligraphy and literary expression, participating artists examine themes of exclusion, self-doubt, identity and personal transformation.

The exhibition brings together sixteen unique artistic voices united by a central question: What shape does a 'no' give you? Each work offers a distinct response, demonstrating how adversity can become a source of strength and renewal.

Artists Ahsan and Geytee Ara employed clay as a metaphor for resilience, exploring how fractures, scars and imperfections can become symbols of endurance. Ara's Lifescape Series reflects on trauma and healing, illustrating how experiences leave lasting marks that ultimately contribute to personal growth.

Akhter Iqbal's mixed-media installation Rejected Recharge investigates environmental rejection through the lens of urban infrastructure. Using concrete, resin, steel and broom bristles, the work depicts rainwater being denied natural absorption by rigid city landscapes, highlighting the tension between development and ecological sustainability.

Themes of identity and belonging are explored by Aliya Farooq, Nadia Raza and Saffia Mughees. Farooq's paintings juxtapose light and darkness to represent acceptance and exclusion, while Raza uses transparent watercolours to portray transgender experiences marked by vulnerability and resilience. Mughees focuses on abandoned objects reclaimed by nature, suggesting that decay signifies continuity rather than loss.