Impressions: Rind makes a grand come back

Forty of his acrylic-on-canvas paintings as well as 10 charcoal pieces are on display at Tanzara.

ISLAMABAD: An exhibition of artworks by the renowned artist A S Rind opened at Tanzara gallery on Thursday.

Showcasing the artist’s work after three years, the exhibition features a total of 40 acrylic-on-canvas paintings as well as 10 charcoal pieces.

“Rind’s canvases reverberate the rich traditional legacy of the Rajisthani desert. He exhibits a natural exuberance in his paintings by using a rich palatte and a strong focus on design and patter bring about pictorial richness to his work,” said Noshi Qadir, the gallery curator.

In his artworks, Rind skillfully stylises the women he paints, with strong sweeping strokes and adorns the canvases with motifs that trace ethnic patterns. The women appear long-necked, voluptuous and wide-eyed; often with puckered lips and embellished elegantly with traditional ornaments. The parrot, rose and fish often emerge, creating an aura of romance and mystery.

Occassionally, Faiz Ahmad Faiz’s verses appear to enhance the romance and mystique to his paintings.

A S Rind’s painting exhibition at display at the Tanzara gallery. PHOTOS: HUMA CHODHRY/ EXPRESS

Rind has specialised in super realism, tried his hand at impressionism, cubism, as well as abstract styles of painting. He has also worked on calligraphic paintings and drawn world famous mosques in them, thus introducing a new typeface.

An experimental use of colour lends his paintings effects of embossing and carving. He dabbles in figurative work, reflecting the expressions and moods of women from his homeland, Rahimyar Khan.

The women in the paintings are adorned elegantly with ethnic jewelry in distinctive styles.

“Rind’s work carries a strong cultural influence of his area, as his paintings are deeply influenced by the regional aesthetics, splendour, colour and motifs,” said Musarrat Hassan, an art critic.

The artist has held many solo exhibitions, besides participating in numerous group exhibitions. He has also been commissioned to work for international financial institutions. His work is displayed in galleries all over Pakistan.

“I like Rind and I have quite a few of his paintings in my house. He displays a lovely colour combination and even his charcoals are beautiful. His style is really good,” said Abida Khan, an art collector at the exhibition.



“I’m fascinated by the art that I find here in Pakistan because I didn’t expect to see such a wide range of different angles into the artistic life here,” said Embassy of Switzerland Deputy Head of Mission Roger M Kull, who was accompanied by a Cuban artist Liudmila López Dominguez at the event.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12^th, 2014.