Art makes ordinary things special

Eight graduates opt for themes exploring relationships, travel.

LAHORE: Relationships, mostly between humans and animals, and experiences of living in various cities are the subject of the work of eight graduating students at the thesis show at the National College of Arts (NCA).

Of the eight, five are from Sculpture Department and the remaining from Printmaking Department.

Abdul Ali Hyder, a printmaking student from Hyderabad, has showcased nine pieces – acrylic on canvas and woodcut on paper.

“My thesis is about the relationship between humans and animals. In the absence of meaningful company, people tend to fill that void with a pet. Almost all of us feel the need for a living being around us.” Hyder said some of his pieces were inspired by scenes from his hometown. “They show domesticated animals like cows and buffaloes,” he said.



Attia Rashid, also from Printmaking Department, has displayed seven collages. After living in London for 11 years in her childhood, she moved to Lahore with her family. Her work revolves around life in the two cities.

“Sometimes we are in one place physically but mentally we find ourselves somewhere else. When I went back to London on a holiday, I saw the city in an entirely new way.”

Some of her work has elements from both the cities. Other items focus on just London. “We recall things from past in bits and pieces… I bring these things together to make collages. I rely on my own photographs of the two cities” she said.

Akif Khan, a Sculpture Department student from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has displayed 10 pieces, made using materials as diverse as porcelain and metal.

“My thesis is the study of human behaviours that might change with time in a positive or a negative direction. This depends on an individual and the situation he is going through,” Khan said.

He said some of his work was about two forces, which when they interact, create a third force that remains invisible.

“The third force fascinates me the most. I also try to show the worth of ordinary things such as a brick.”

Karim Ahmed Khan, a sculpture student from Hunza, has showcased seven pieces – four silicon installations, two marker-on-paper drawings and a digital print.

“I take inspiration from light. How it pours from the ceiling. It is dense at top and disperses at bottom in a radiant form.”

He said there was some ambiguity in his work. “If you see the silicon sculptures closely, they look like rain but if you step back, they look like frozen light beaming from the sky.” Syed Shahzeb Ali Bukhari, a sculpture student from Rawalpindi, has six pieces on display.

“My work is about relationships. A chair alone might mean nothing but put it close a table and it refers to a family. My piece Under One Roof is a dining table with six chairs that are attached to each other. Every person’s actions relate to another’s  reaction. This piece shows that you need the support of your family even to stand up,” Bukhari said.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 17^th, 2015.