Modern art: ‘My paintings attempt to recall a journey’

Kamal Hyat’s solo exhibition opens at Alhamra.

LAHORE:

Kamal Hyat’s first solo exhibition of paintings in Lahore opened at the Alhamra Arts Council on Monday. It was inaugurated by artist Mian Ijazul Hassan.

There were 45 pieces on display. The titles included Three Friends, Mother and Son, Companions, The Man in Red, The Lonely Child, Woman in Yellow, Lament 1, Lament 2, and Destination Unknown. They were made using acrylic on canvas, acrylic on board, acrylic on ply and acrylic on paper.

The paintings all had a story to tell, some directly and others in a subtle manner. The works appeared to be rooted in personal observations, reflecting a sense of detachment and isolation. The symbol of a bird appeared in many paintings.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Kamal Hyat said, “My paintings may best be described as an attempt to recall a journey, and where imagination fills the lapses in memory.”

Hyat said he had never painted from live models and usually it was memory that moved him in one way or another. “These paintings represent various flashpoints of my life, covering over a decade”, he said.

“The main triggers that compel me to work are the terms on which we negotiate social relations. The subjects of my paintings choose themselves as and when their time arrives. My greatest challenge is to live up to their expectations,” said Hyat.

Hassan said Hyat’s art was modern, and based on issues that reflected his experiences. “His pieces are not clustered with too much detail, they are simplified and yet stylised, which makes for greater impact on the viewer.”

Hassan said Hyat’s paintings expressed many moods and expressions, through different situations.

Viewers could relate to figures represented and sentiments articulated by the artist, he said.

He added that the work was pensive without being rhetorical, which gave more strength and meaning to the work.

He said “He prefers to understate his paintings, and whisper his thoughts and feelings rather than declare them out loud”.

IA Rehman said, “There is a lot of maturity in his work, which is also narrating many stories.”

Painter Ghulam Mustafa said “He has a unique style and technique. He thinks, recalls, and then paints.”

Hyat received his early training and guidance from Moyene Najmi, a pioneer of the modern art movement in Pakistan.

He has had five solo exhibitions in Islamabad and Karachi. The exhibition will continue till March 8.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 4^th, 2014.