The artist recreated the women of Thar going about their lives. PHOTO: EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD:
Abstract expressionist Nahida Raza exhibited her paintings in the capital after a hiatus of about seven years. Raza, who is the owner and curator of Jharoka Art Gallery, came full circle with an ethnic theme, celebrating the beauty and resilience of women in the Thar desert.
Titled, “Desert Symphonies,” the exhibition features 25 oil-on-canvas paintings that pay homage to the faceless nomadic women. Fascinated by the Thar women and their dynamic lifestyle, the artist has painted them in vivid detail. The petite silhouettes in the paintings reveal intricate details: the bright, flowing dresses, the ivory bangles and a subdued air of feminine strength.
The rich palette of earth tones, pink and bright orange, as indigo, lilac and royal blue blends in effortlessly, offering some diversity among the seemingly similar subjects on the canvas.
“I have only heard about Thar but have always dreamed of going to this mysterious and spiritual land. These works are my feelings and expression of the unexplored world. The beauty of motherhood, the romance of the desert and the songs of loneliness all come together under the colours and strokes of my brush,” she said.
The paintings are textured and layered, whether it is the trailing dress, the pitcher delicately hoisted atop a woman’s head or the full moon beaming against the endless desert terrain. Swathed in rustic elegance, the women are engrossed in domestic chores, nursing a child or conversing amongst themselves.
Friends, family and students of the artist formed a sizable crowd at the show. Fatima Chaudhry, fashion designer and art enthusiast, commented on the work saying, “The paintings are very fluid and have a peculiar finesse to them. The pair of mauve ones I like the most.”
Raza, who has trained under seasoned artists such as Mansur Rahi, has been painting for many years. She also studied short courses at the Slade School of Art in England. She has travelled extensively, absorbing various influences and inspirations in art globally, particularly from the classic European artists. Raza has previously exhibited in Karachi, Lahore, Dubai and Islamabad. Currently, she also imparts art education at her art gallery.
The current exhibition will continue until February 2.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 24th, 2014.
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