Contemporary art: Infusing the old with the new

Themes like violence, commoditisation of women, globalisation and Sufism explored.

LAHORE:

“The artists here have invented a new language,” says Quddus Mirza, curator of the ‘Here and Now’ art exhibit.

Their focus on the ideas and concerns of modern times was one of his reasons for putting together the exhibit, he says.

The exhibition by artists Mohammad Ali Talpur, Hasnat Mehmood, Nausheen Saeed, Adeela Suleman, and Mohammad Zeeshan, opened at the Lahore Art Gallery on Monday and will continue till June 22.

While each artist has a distinct style and uses different media, all the works deal with certain issues affecting Pakistan as well as the rest of the modern world.

Talpur prompts the observer to feel new sensations through minimalist lines and tones.A recurrent theme in the work is a comparison between the past and the ever-changing present. Zeeshan, a trained miniaturist, has drawn inspiration from old Sufi shrines for his pieces, which combine the modern technique of laser scoring with traditional painting.



In his graphite drawings, Mehmood takes old, iconic works of art and infuses them with reminders of globalisation in an increasingly interconnected world; a sketch of the Mona Lisa includes a ‘Made in Pakistan’ note in the bottom corner.

Suleman uses mixed media to depict a medieval battle mounted on the wall, her illustration of past violence serving to highlight Pakistan’s ongoing struggle with violence today.

Saeed’s startling fiberglass sculptures depict women’s bodies as shopping bags, a comment on the commoditisation of women in the society.

This is a theme she has explored in other recent exhibits as well, including her display at the Scope Art Fair in New York this past March, which portrayed women as luggage.

The participating artists have also all exhibited their art overseas. In fact, Mirza explains, that was yet another reason he decided to curate this show. “All of them have international recognition, but they should be shown at home as well,” he says.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22^nd, 2013.