Art exhibit: An elusive story of love on canvas
Ahmed Habib’s collection highlights subtleties and complexities of relationships.
ISLAMABAD:
Though each artist interprets feminism differently, most fall into two broad categories. One category adopts the in-your-face expression where women are shackled in chains while the other dives right into abstract and the piece gets lost in translation.
Ahmed Habib falls in the latter category. Titled “Nirvan”, his current exhibition that will open at Nomad Gallery today (Saturday), dissects the intricate complexities of the relationship of man and woman.
A Sanskrit term, “Nirvan” means profound peace of mind. Although, in his art pieces, the women are far from liberated but the artist is out on a soul search of his own. “For me, Nirvan is a homecoming phase of an inquisitive artist who has travelled far and wide in search of Nirvan and has finally come home a complacent individual,” he said while talking to The Express Tribune.
Perhaps what really draws in the viewer about Habib’s work is the delicacy with which he paints each piece; most of his work deals with large colourful kites, which are actually used to symbolise men. The kites are big, bold and colourful but the women holding them, not so much. Using mixed media, the artist manages to add textures as he narrates a story between women and the kites. “Connection” depicts a large female with her back facing the viewer and arms outstretched to a large kite. Paper clips are used to create a connection between the women and the kite. “In everyday life, paper cuts are typically used to hold papers together, similarly a forced marriage is a connection on legal paper,” the artist observed. Oddly enough, his women do not have demure expression.
“When people are in love, they (mostly women) are willing to compromise everything which is why the strings are attached. But notice the strings are red as women willingly submit themselves in love,” he said, pointing to a piece titled “Puppet Show” which shows a woman holding a mirror but her hands are tied to strings of colourful kites soaring above her.
While symbolising kites as men, the artist plays with white spaces and minute brush strokes to create delicacy in his work. One cannot help but notice the slight brush strokes used to create petite painted toenails. Each piece, although large, has intricate detailing, bringing about a more realistict narration almost like a symphony carefully noted down on musical notes. The exhibition continues till October 31.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 20th, 2012.
Though each artist interprets feminism differently, most fall into two broad categories. One category adopts the in-your-face expression where women are shackled in chains while the other dives right into abstract and the piece gets lost in translation.
Ahmed Habib falls in the latter category. Titled “Nirvan”, his current exhibition that will open at Nomad Gallery today (Saturday), dissects the intricate complexities of the relationship of man and woman.
A Sanskrit term, “Nirvan” means profound peace of mind. Although, in his art pieces, the women are far from liberated but the artist is out on a soul search of his own. “For me, Nirvan is a homecoming phase of an inquisitive artist who has travelled far and wide in search of Nirvan and has finally come home a complacent individual,” he said while talking to The Express Tribune.
Perhaps what really draws in the viewer about Habib’s work is the delicacy with which he paints each piece; most of his work deals with large colourful kites, which are actually used to symbolise men. The kites are big, bold and colourful but the women holding them, not so much. Using mixed media, the artist manages to add textures as he narrates a story between women and the kites. “Connection” depicts a large female with her back facing the viewer and arms outstretched to a large kite. Paper clips are used to create a connection between the women and the kite. “In everyday life, paper cuts are typically used to hold papers together, similarly a forced marriage is a connection on legal paper,” the artist observed. Oddly enough, his women do not have demure expression.
“When people are in love, they (mostly women) are willing to compromise everything which is why the strings are attached. But notice the strings are red as women willingly submit themselves in love,” he said, pointing to a piece titled “Puppet Show” which shows a woman holding a mirror but her hands are tied to strings of colourful kites soaring above her.
While symbolising kites as men, the artist plays with white spaces and minute brush strokes to create delicacy in his work. One cannot help but notice the slight brush strokes used to create petite painted toenails. Each piece, although large, has intricate detailing, bringing about a more realistict narration almost like a symphony carefully noted down on musical notes. The exhibition continues till October 31.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 20th, 2012.