Thesis exhibition: Looking for fairness in social relations

Work of seven fourth-year students is on display at Anna Molka Gallery

LAHORE:

Thesis work of seven fourth-year printmaking students from the Fine Arts department  students of the Punjab University College of Art and Design is on display at the Anna Molka Gallery.

Ramsha Khalid has used etching, aquatint and stencil techniques in her eight pieces. “The title of my thesis is: The Other Side? It is a male-dominant society, but women are suppressing the other sex as well. Now that women have gotten so much exposure, they are overcoming male authority in a negative way,” she said.

“I have used two symbols to represent the male figure, a belt that represents sexuality and a torso that depicts strength and power. Roses and spiders symbolise female energy,” she said.

Hina Abdul Rauf’s six pieces have been made using mezzotint and aquatint techniques. “The title is Rudad-i-Hayat (a narrative of life). I have shown the reverse cycle of a flower’s life. Every person goes through different phases in life and every chapter has a new story. Whenever a story ends, another starts. That’s what the flower depicts,” she said.

Mehak Karim has used line etching, aquatint, open bite, sugar lift and spit bite techniques in her work. “My work depicts the continuous transformation of one’s personality since childhood. It shows a cocoon, a caterpillar and a butterfly,” she said.

Iqra Adeel has used line etching, aquatint and mezzotint techniques in her work. Her thesis was titled: The Mystic.

“My focus is the human behaviour. We bring changes in our personality by looking at other people, our surroundings and the environment,” she said.

Kanwal Nisar has used the mezzotint technique in her work. “I have tried to show the emotions that a person tries to hide from others. My work deals with my personal experience. I had considered myself an introvert. When I came to the university, I started interacting more with people and realised that I am not an introvert. I have used dark colours to show that we cannot hide anything against light,” she said.

Rasham Ilyas had also used acrylic engraving and mixed media in her work. “The title of my thesis is: Inception. It covers the link between existence and living and the role of a mother. My mother has been away for the past few years. The work shows what I have lost some things and gained some in her absence. I have used roots to represent her in my work,” she said.

Sarah Mumtaz, an illustration and drawing teacher at the College of Art and Design, said she was impressed by the work. “I find the work very intriguing. These students have used hard core printmaking techniques and stayed true to them,” she said.

The exhibition will end on Wednesday.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 6^th, 2015.