Mix and match: Clothing prints meet canvas

Exhibition features social commentary through mixed media.

ISLAMABAD:

The sociopolitical landscape of the country has become ubiquitous in everyday affairs, while also surfacing itself in the visual arts scene. Titled “Things that appear” an exhibition by two artists Imrana Tanveer and Yasir Azeem opened at the Khaas Art Gallery on Tuesday.

Tanveer, who comes from a textile design background, has incorporated a novel technique into digital prints. She takes paper and thread, manually weaves them, shreds and then reassembles them.

“The idea is to construct and then deconstruct. My method of creation becomes a part of the process and the medium complements the concept,” she said. This development and evolution represents everything from dialogue to protests and all-out conflict.

The minute, intricate squares combine into a tapestry of ideas, using symbols and icons. The ensuing images may take the shape of the national flag, roses or dogs, depending on the piece one is looking at.

Instead of taking a direct approach, the artist believes in keeping the essence subtle yet witty. Tanveer also exhibited a similar series at the recently-concluded Islamabad Literature Festival, where the theme revolved around national, cultural and political identity.

Similarly, Azeem’s canvas is influenced by the experiences that leave imprints on one’s life through the course of the current situation. “Possibly these experiences make us over-susceptible and allow us to look
closely, creating a curiosity that constructs or deconstructs our personalities, characters and societies at large which is the basic forum on which nations are made,” he stated.

The textured layers of red wax printed with seals, bring out his narrative in thick chunks of the medium. His practice of screen printing and sculpture combine into fleshed-out pieces and make a bold impact on the viewer.

Alia Bilgrami, the curator of the show, commented on the individual styles, saying that it was a challenge to exhibit them together due to the variation in the content. “However, what I find interesting is that Tanveer has innovated the conventional digital prints through her process and Azeem’s work is a reminder of the past while working on a current theme.”

Ali, an architect and guest at the event, commented on the artworks, saying that the expression is explicit, defying stereotype. “The content is contemporary yet has its roots in the traditional. While the tapestry-weaving is an old concept but it has been revamped with contemporary collage,” he added.

The current exhibition will continue till May 10 at the gallery, daily from 11:30am to 6:30pm.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 30^th, 2014.