The great beyond: ‘Symphonies in Landscapes’ evokes an outdoorsy experience
After a hiatus of nearly 15 years, artist Nazir Ahmed has made a comeback with a collection of what he likes to paint best: landscapes.
His latest series “Symphonies in Landscapes” features scenes of lush green fields, red flowering trees and clear blue skies with little streams running along mustard filed, depicting landscape as seen around the outskirts of Lahore. To the artist, these images portray the “unblemished beauty of nature.”
Inspired by Khalid Iqbal, a renowned artist as well as his teacher at the National College of Arts, Ahmed has concentrated solely on landscapes.
He is among those few painters, who opt to paint outdoors rather than in the environs of their studios. He said he derives great pleasure witnessing the changing light and tones in the surroundings.
Each painting is a labour of love and patience. “It takes about three days to finish one painting, I keep coming back to the same spot at the exact same time to capture the light in the exact same position,” said Ahmed while talking about his work. Then, very carefully, he captures the visual details in the field and creates the same life and spirit on the surface -- canvas or paper.
Nazir exhibits command over different media such as oil paints, water colours and ink and uses them with seamless ease. His oil paintings are detailed and expressive; pen and ink drawings striking, with minimal use of lines.
Whatever the medium, the outcome is the artwork that makes the viewer perceive the scene, which radiates an aura of calm.
While commenting on this aspect, Nazir said, “I feel immensely happy when I succeed in capturing the scene with the pulsation of those moments.”
The exhibition reflects his fascination with trees, rivers, clouds, bright sunshine, silhouettes and incredible understanding of colours and their chromatic effects in nature.
However, trees remain the focal point in almost all his paintings, especially Sumbal trees with their large blossoms.
Dr Arjumand Faisel, the curator of Gallery 6, said, “Ahmed’s admiration for nature is evident from each of his works, outstanding in its own way.
There is striking beauty in the simplicity of each work.
His works portray the magnificence of the nature with an aura of calm, and is devoid of decorative and adulterated glorification.”
The exhibition will continue till December 26, daily from 11 am to 7pm (including Sundays) at Gallery 6.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 17th, 2011.
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