Wherefore Art thou? Seven KSA grads resurface
“Resurface” is a visual exploration of ideas of 7 individuals who studied art at Karachi School of Art in the 1990s.
KARACHI:
“Resurface” is a visual exploration of the ideas and lives of seven individuals who studied art at the Karachi School of Art in the 1990s. While they have been contributing to diverse professional fields — from academics to digital animation, interior designing and the creation of art itself — for many years, both in Pakistan and abroad, they decided to get together and concentrate on art purely for art’s sake.
Repositioning themselves as a group of artists determined to create “a new wave on the art scene”, these seven artists have come up with their own interpretations of what art means to them in “Resurface”, which starts at 5 pm at the VM Art Gallery today (Monday).
In his work, Danish Raza recaps his own life and the lives of the people who have affected his own existence over the past few years. “The idea came to my mind when I was spending time around hospitals while my mother was hospitalised. Outside the hospital, street vendors would sell inflatable toys and their primary targets would be small children visiting patients with their families,” said Raza, who believes that the fascination toys inspire among the young is reflected in the adults who surround him as well. “We are like little children who always want to buy shiny, bright, colourful moments of joy all our life. Whether rich or poor, young or old, it is the same story.”
For Raza, a toy represents a moment of joy for someone. “For me, it is fitting in this post-9/11 world, where news and views control the perception and the action of the world. Here, in this assemblage, I think of my beloved country [as a nation] in the ICU and the inflatable toys [are like] our promises and hopes.”
Through his work, Raza says that he is trying to “cure” his country, “because to me it seems that the other medicines and methods are not working. I know it is absurd, but isn’t everything else absurd right now as well?”
“I have seen and felt that for the past few decades our society has gone through a period of complete transformation — from a peace-loving, patriotic nation to an intolerant, prejudiced and fanatical one. Every person is in a state of worthlessness,” said Shariq Ayaz, who believes that “the intolerance and injustice prevailing in today’s society has led us to become a ruthless nation”.
In Ayaz’s words, “Though we are still moving, our destination has become ambiguous. We have distributed ourselves into various sects and groups, seeking our own goals. Therefore, instead of progressing towards a common, clear destination, we have led ourselves into a dark alley - a point of no return.”
“The elements [I use in my work are symbolic of the] meanings that I find in my surroundings. They are the souvenirs that I collect for my internal and external journey,” said Kashan Ahmed. “I use the rose as a metaphor of peace or happiness. The scissor [represents] an ill-omened shortcut.” His work talks about the idea of trying to achieve “balance and harmony” in life without trying to find shortcuts.
Saleem Ansari’s work deals with his fascination with hands. “They inspire me because they represent a complete personality,” he said. “Hands communicate our feelings and emotions visually. I have always felt that there is an emotion in every movement of our hands. Every touch of every hand is peculiar in its representation of emotions.”
Zia Haider was determined to inspect the “impartially delicate bonds between traditions and visual language” in his work. “I am trying to determine the route which starts from personal goodness and leads towards the region of absolute beauty. In my paintings, the individual form of geometry represents the different elements of the ethereal and the material. When we see these forms as a whole, it symbolises our cosmos.”
Meanwhile, Danish Ahmed investigates the possibilities of aligning his art to his religious beliefs in his body of work. “Prayer becomes the first step that allows me to perceive the spiritual dimension of my life in order to purify myself through the act of transformation. The cycle of transformation completes when one reflects to the outward world on the basis of the knowledge acquired through contemplation,” he said.
“My art interprets the remembrance of God in a visual domain as it seeks to embody the environment of worship.” References to sajda and qayam in his series of diptychs are symbolic of existence divided — between inward and outward dimensions — of a man in the world.
Saira Danish Ahmed uses the butterfly as a symbol of spiritual transformation in her work. “For some odd reason, I have always taken the pelvis to be a subliminal metaphor for spirituality. Perhaps its housing in the body serving as a quiet witness to the fruition of life has entailed me to this opinion,” she said. Saira also uses the halo as a “religion icon which makes the bearer of the halo morally worthy and subsequently connects him/her to the divine”. The butterfly, the pelvis and the halo come together to “tessellate a kaleidoscope of emotions and spiritual awakening”.
The exhibition will continue till November 4 between 10:30 am and 7:30 pm (excluding Sundays).
Published in The Express Tribune, October 25th, 2010.
“Resurface” is a visual exploration of the ideas and lives of seven individuals who studied art at the Karachi School of Art in the 1990s. While they have been contributing to diverse professional fields — from academics to digital animation, interior designing and the creation of art itself — for many years, both in Pakistan and abroad, they decided to get together and concentrate on art purely for art’s sake.
Repositioning themselves as a group of artists determined to create “a new wave on the art scene”, these seven artists have come up with their own interpretations of what art means to them in “Resurface”, which starts at 5 pm at the VM Art Gallery today (Monday).
In his work, Danish Raza recaps his own life and the lives of the people who have affected his own existence over the past few years. “The idea came to my mind when I was spending time around hospitals while my mother was hospitalised. Outside the hospital, street vendors would sell inflatable toys and their primary targets would be small children visiting patients with their families,” said Raza, who believes that the fascination toys inspire among the young is reflected in the adults who surround him as well. “We are like little children who always want to buy shiny, bright, colourful moments of joy all our life. Whether rich or poor, young or old, it is the same story.”
For Raza, a toy represents a moment of joy for someone. “For me, it is fitting in this post-9/11 world, where news and views control the perception and the action of the world. Here, in this assemblage, I think of my beloved country [as a nation] in the ICU and the inflatable toys [are like] our promises and hopes.”
Through his work, Raza says that he is trying to “cure” his country, “because to me it seems that the other medicines and methods are not working. I know it is absurd, but isn’t everything else absurd right now as well?”
“I have seen and felt that for the past few decades our society has gone through a period of complete transformation — from a peace-loving, patriotic nation to an intolerant, prejudiced and fanatical one. Every person is in a state of worthlessness,” said Shariq Ayaz, who believes that “the intolerance and injustice prevailing in today’s society has led us to become a ruthless nation”.
In Ayaz’s words, “Though we are still moving, our destination has become ambiguous. We have distributed ourselves into various sects and groups, seeking our own goals. Therefore, instead of progressing towards a common, clear destination, we have led ourselves into a dark alley - a point of no return.”
“The elements [I use in my work are symbolic of the] meanings that I find in my surroundings. They are the souvenirs that I collect for my internal and external journey,” said Kashan Ahmed. “I use the rose as a metaphor of peace or happiness. The scissor [represents] an ill-omened shortcut.” His work talks about the idea of trying to achieve “balance and harmony” in life without trying to find shortcuts.
Saleem Ansari’s work deals with his fascination with hands. “They inspire me because they represent a complete personality,” he said. “Hands communicate our feelings and emotions visually. I have always felt that there is an emotion in every movement of our hands. Every touch of every hand is peculiar in its representation of emotions.”
Zia Haider was determined to inspect the “impartially delicate bonds between traditions and visual language” in his work. “I am trying to determine the route which starts from personal goodness and leads towards the region of absolute beauty. In my paintings, the individual form of geometry represents the different elements of the ethereal and the material. When we see these forms as a whole, it symbolises our cosmos.”
Meanwhile, Danish Ahmed investigates the possibilities of aligning his art to his religious beliefs in his body of work. “Prayer becomes the first step that allows me to perceive the spiritual dimension of my life in order to purify myself through the act of transformation. The cycle of transformation completes when one reflects to the outward world on the basis of the knowledge acquired through contemplation,” he said.
“My art interprets the remembrance of God in a visual domain as it seeks to embody the environment of worship.” References to sajda and qayam in his series of diptychs are symbolic of existence divided — between inward and outward dimensions — of a man in the world.
Saira Danish Ahmed uses the butterfly as a symbol of spiritual transformation in her work. “For some odd reason, I have always taken the pelvis to be a subliminal metaphor for spirituality. Perhaps its housing in the body serving as a quiet witness to the fruition of life has entailed me to this opinion,” she said. Saira also uses the halo as a “religion icon which makes the bearer of the halo morally worthy and subsequently connects him/her to the divine”. The butterfly, the pelvis and the halo come together to “tessellate a kaleidoscope of emotions and spiritual awakening”.
The exhibition will continue till November 4 between 10:30 am and 7:30 pm (excluding Sundays).
Published in The Express Tribune, October 25th, 2010.