Written by: Nayha Jehangir Khan
Posted on: May 13, 2019 | 
| 中文
(L-R) Allah o Noorusamavat by Muhammad Ibrahim, Untitled by Habib Kather and Inscriptions for nothing by Shiblee Munir
Every year, during the month of Ramadan, art galleries across the country hold only one ongoing show. Much like a summer break, Ramadan is treated like a sabbatical for art exhibitions. Changing these attitudes by focusing on community engagement through art exhibitions and a digital media laboratory, The World Bank Pakistan offers a diverse range of activities for the general public to participate.
One part of their community engagement initiative is to highlight Pakistani art and artists. For this, they have trusted Zara Sajid to curate an extensive exhibit covering the five floors of the building, and the outdoor garden of the Bank. “Contemporary Pakistan” has over 50 art works by emerging to mid-career artists. Quratulain Dar, Maham Nadeem, Sidrat Munteha, Habib Kather, Mariam Ansari, Sana Saeed and Noormah Jamal are some of the many upcoming talents chosen by Sajid. They are being showcased alongside more familiar names such as Scheherzade Junejo, Mohsin Shaikh, Ahmer Farooq and Saqiba Suleman. Sajid’s representation of these artists has ensured that their work is visible to a large viewership. The show’s themes include figurative, portraiture, line and form and modern painting techniques. In this review, we will take a closer look at the work of 15 of the participating artists.
In the works of Farooq, “Behind Bars” there can be a metropolis of buildings, typography or perhaps a figure behind bars; the choice is left up to the viewer. The selection of colour and soft painterly strokes of Ansari’s “State,” feels the opposite, where her understanding of mountains and glaciers is otherworldly, and yet we are convinced that this contradiction has a sense of recognizable reality.
The oil paintings on canvas titled, “The Blue Bird” by Quratulain Dar and “Untitled” by Habib Kather, both depict recognizably older men looking indifferent, with a dark ominous background. The skin is painted keeping light in mind, and the palette tilts towards the ochre. Dar’s subjects face in opposite directions, yet their expression is similar to that of Kather’s subject, looking back at the viewer but refusing to hear anything with his fingers in his ears. Both these works could be about the same emotional problem - an avoidance of conflict.
The main lobby of the bank has the “Contemporary Calligraphy” paintings on display. This is a three person mini-exhibit with artists, Al-Firdous, Shiblee Munir, and Muhammad Ibrahim. The works are adorned with Gold and Silver leaf, Oils and Acrylics on Paper and Canvas. They depict a spiritual introspection, visually interpreted into artistic compositions; even a deeper look into scripture, both typographically and architecturally. The monotone colour compositions and techniques used by Munir are rigorous, disciplined and meditative. The repetition in mark making, seen in Ibrahim’s work, denotes the act of worship through the remembrance of particular verses, such as “Allah Allah” and “Allah O Noorusamavat” ciphered into landscapes with vivid luscious green, blue and yellow tones. The works are predominantly non-representational, yet the humanity of the artists can be seen with their controlled strokes, balanced colour and form, and lines of symmetrical harmony.
Munteha creates a monotone of lines that are repeated uniformly over her canvas with marker. She repeats this process in different techniques, using the line as a main compositional element. Similarly, Faizan Riedinger uses pen on paper to create “Reverie 1 & 2” and “Proliferate.” With line work as a central subject, these works incorporate the bright colour red, to create variation in background.
Jamal and Hoor Imaad Sherpao are both artists that started with miniature training, but since then have brought their own modern flare and unique techniques to explore this tradition. These paintings are illustrative and challenge miniature norms, depicting the personal struggles of female protagonists. The painting “Fair is Foul and Foul is Fair,” by Jamal is in Gouache, Gold leaf on Wasli and “Don’t Call Me Powder Blue Girl,” by Sherpao is in Gouache & 24 Karat Gold on Wasli.
The portrait by Fatima Nadeem called “Lightswitch” feels unfinished. It deliberately does not have eyes or a complete body, yet we are automatically compelled to complete it in our minds. A similar technique is used by Sana Saeed in “Once Upon a Time II,” because it is zoomed in and tightly cropped. The viewer finds it easy to create the complete picture in their minds, as the rendition of these works is purposely realistic.
Other works that stood out were the richly textured canvases of Maryam Arslan’s “Fruit Toast,” and Samra Cheema’s “Soulmate.” Each artist uses oil and acrylic paints to create surfaces that are 3D in nature. There is a feeling of familiarity in their choice of subject, as one uses desserts from your daily plate of food, while the other uses flower like moulds to create two embracing figures. Both artists have created a romance for their subject through their wide range of colour combinations, illustrative imagery and over the top use of impasto paint.
The World Bank Pakistan employees spend their work hours walking in front of these paintings, knowingly or unknowingly gathering around these artworks, conducting their daily tasks and meetings. The main lobby frequently has board meetings being held behind large glass walls with the paintings always visible. Each painting is accompanied by a short rationale, and a biography of the artist. Since the mandate of the organization is also to encourage local artists and create dialogue, this is an interesting social experiment, where art transforms work spaces and office culture, hopefully for the better.
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