Art exhibition: Two artists depict larger than life images in acrylic and diluted paints

They use a similar technique but produce different results on canvas.

ISLAMABAD:

Boasting of images made from diluted colours on canvas which have been created with control and precision, “Bahtay Rang” opened at Gallery Louvre on Saturday. The exhibition carries works of Khusro Sabzwari from Karachi and Ali Karimi from Lahore.

“I combined these two artists for the show as they seem to have similar techniques but on canvas their work is entirely different,” said Alina Saeed, the gallery’s curator. Sabzwari’s pieces portray abstract art with the use of acrylic paints in vivid colour combinations, while Karimi the younger artist, creates figures by using single pigmented oil colours.

Sabzwari, a self taught artist, has been painting since the last 35 years and earned recognition in Pakistan when he exhibited his work to raise funds for the flood relief in 2010. The artist uses bright and vibrant colours to convey larger than life depictions of the natural beauty that surrounds him. His work seems to be mainly inspired by cubism and impressionism and his pieces depict nature at its finest. ‘Bahtay Rang’ is a result of a three-year effort of the artist.

“But he is not just painting pretty pictures to gaze at, his artwork conveys to people a deeper meaning,” said Laraib, a visitor. “It elicits concern that global warming is playing havoc with our environment and prompt action is required to limit the destruction,” he added. Through images of a large multi-hued peacock, colourful birds soaring in the sky, vibrant bright flowers and a petite female at the centre of a large abstract painting, the artist wants the viewers to understand and appreciate beauty before it is too late. For example, one of his pieces ‘Cherry blossom’ is a beautiful painting of a large cherry tree in its blossoming period with its red yellow and white flowers, the image reflects on all the beauty there is around and all that is at stake. Currently Sabzwari’s work is being displayed in Europe and in the USA.

Karimi, on the other hand is a young upcoming artist from National College of Arts. “His work defines contemporary on a whole new level,” said another visitor, Naseem. Karimi creates figures developed through wash paints of oil medium and his technique is to dilute a single oil colour on canvas. His muse seems to be women in different postures exuding romance and beauty. Unlike Sabzawari, Karimi uses only a single colour, “The colours we see are the colours we want to see. I want to give freedom to people to imagine their own colours when viewing my work.”The exhibition showcases 25 artpieces by Sabzwari and 18 by Karimi. The works will be on display till 19 of this month.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13^th, 2011.