For Akram Spaul, art is in the humdrum of daily routine. Everyday events are worth subjects for the realist painter, as he captures the lives and surroundings of middle and lower classes in his work. The Karachi-based artist is exhibiting his work alongside Islamabad-based Sana Arjumand at Gallery 6, said a press statement on Friday.
The show, titled “Cohesion”, will be inaugurated by Argentine Ambassador Rodolfo J Martin-Saravia on Saturday (today).
Spaul has held 17 exhibitions since 1989. His work brings to attention the beauty that often is ignored in the life around, especially the physical settings and material conditions. His oil paintings show a piece of furniture, a door, a window, washing area; infusing detail that brings it to life and brings our own routine activities into focus.
Akram’s work has pretensions to extreme objectivity. In many of his pictures, he pays attention to accuracy of detail and colour to lend depth to his work.
He also focuses on the optical effects of light, an important component of the realism his paintings aspire to.
Sana Arjumand has held solo shows in Islamabad, Karachi, London and New York. Her work has also been shown in Lahore, Amman, Dubai, Hong Kong, New Delhi and Seoul.
Very recently, she was recognised as a rising star by a well-known and reputed art website, which considered her among the 10 most promising artists from India and Pakistan, said the press release.
Sana’s work is contemporary yet deep-rooted in the Pakistani society. She makes satirical statements about the contradictions between the rhetoric and the realities in her work.
Her canvasses explore “the set-up” of society, social responsibility, confusion of identity, the role of religions vs culture and the constant dilemma of being the “young, modern Pakistani woman”’.
She also invokes belief in the divine help of “noor” and “farishtey” who to come to one’s help in times of crisis.
The exhibition will continue until May 13 from 11am to 7pm at Gallery 6 (Sundays included).
Published in The Express Tribune, April 28th, 2012.
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