Photo exhibition: A flair for the familiar

Azhar Hafeez photographs a serene side of the country.

ISLAMABAD:

There is something about Mohammad Azhar Hafeez that sets him apart from other seasoned photographers. Instead of being spontaneous, he focuses on the dynamics of his subjects, with an eye for subtleties.

Titled “Chromatic Opuses”, his latest collection of photographs opened at Gallery6 on Thursday. Diverse in content, the photographs outline a love for nature, a penchant for portraits and a sensibility towards Pakistani architecture. They are taken mostly around Islamabad, Lahore and Cholistan.

“The photographs represent a strong love for the country and the reality one lives in and the rich cultural heritage,” said the Italian Ambassador Adriano Chiodi Cianfarani, who inaugurated the exhibition.



Hafeez said the photographs depict a peaceful Pakistan. At first glance, the shots seem to be oil paintings. With a command over light, he brings out the elements of dust, smoke, fog or mist in images such as “Sunset silhouettes at Tarbela,” “Cupric Euphoria,”  and “Sunrise at M1”.

A series of three black and white photographs titled “Lucid Dreams” stands out for its composition and contrast. Two of these have been taken in a the forest area of Rawal Lake. Then there are panoramic landscape shots, “Islamabad - where I live” or “Nucleus of Lahore”.

The first one, the photographer explained if enlarged, could become a historical photograph documenting all active sectors of Islamabad.

He also feasts on rare moments as evident from the photographs “Diurnal gems” depicting dew as precious stones or “Cobweb on kaleidoscope” showing a thin spider web  over multiple colours or “Thank you Papa” where a male bird is seen feeding his little one.



The photograph “In the air” shows all four legs of a horse above the ground, “Oops - shucks” shows a rider losing the pole after hitting the peg. On a more playful note, “She and Me” is a photograph of a lioness cuddled over a lion.

Dr Arjumand Faisel, the curator of the gallery, said “Hafeez is celebrating the silver jubilee of being a photographer, in style.” The exhibition will continue till June 17 daily from 11am to 7pm.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 7^th, 2013.