Written by: Jovita Alvares
Posted on: February 28, 2022 | 
| 中文
An Ordinary day by Marjan Baniasadi
Chawkandi ends the month with the opening of their latest exhibition, ‘Dual Genesis’. The display focuses on the works of two artists, Maryam and Marjan Baniasadi. The pair are graduates from the National College of Arts in Lahore, each with their own distinct style and practice that has been slowly evolving over the years.
The Baniasadi sisters both reflect their Iranian heritage within their practices, and in intriguingly different ways. Marjan, an artist that deals primarily with oil paint, has been exploring and understanding the concept of the Persian rug through her practice. The artist looks beyond the superficial idea of commodity that the carpet holds, and instead sees each weave and thread as an extension of fables, myths and stories of the past.
The Pink House by Maryam Baniasadi
The Persian carpet has been around for centuries. It has evolved and transformed with each change in leadership, and with each generation. It has survived through war, death and countless kings. In the process, the weaving has also transformed to result in a variety of types that each reflect the era of their creation. However, when we look at a carpet today, it is purely for its immediate purpose.
It is only when an object is hung in a gallery or museum, placed carefully behind protective glass and with a printed brief about its history, do we take the time to appreciate the object beyond its’ superficial value. The same happens with Marjan’s practice. It is true that her painstakingly detailed paintings force the viewer to stop, stare and think about what is placed before us.
The Orange Tree on The Side Walk by Maryam Baniasadi
Through this latest exhibition, the artist further evolves her concept through the transformation of the carpet’s imagery into a multi-canvas narrative. Instead of showing us the whole large carpet, Marjan creates several smaller but zoomed in paintings that focus on particular visuals. As a viewer, one can see the narrative unfold, as we move along the space. Now, instead of focusing on the carpet as an object, we are more interested in the narratives that have been woven in.
Tree Trunk in The Boundary wall by Maryam Baniasadi
Her skill as a painter also shows through. Even though, neither the shape nor the size of any painting remotely reflects that of a carpet, the artist’s understanding of the texture and materiality of a rug can be seen through the dexterity of each brushstroke, which is something to admire.
Furthering this conversation of exploring an object beyond its surface is Maryam. The artist conveys her ideas through the meticulous use of the miniature painting technique. The artist explains that as an Iranian living in Lahore, she focuses on the spaces outdoors. She looks at the interaction of man-made places with nature, and how each one molds itself around each other. Her paintings at first glance appear deceptively simple, a tree surrounded by pavement, or a shrub against a brick wall, but eventually one begins to understand the relationship between both.
Bare Gulcheen Tree Maryam Baniasadi
One realizes that nature has always been here, much before the building of any human settlement. In fact, it is possible that wild foliage had been removed to make space for buildings and roads. The artist looks at the man-made structures as symbols of human ambition and their desire to control the surrounding nature. As a species, man has made it a point to exude their power over the rest of the planet, the flora and fauna, taking what they want and adapting the surface of the earth to primarily meet human need. In the process, they have neglected the toll this could take on the earth, and how in the long run it has led to severe problems that if not immediately fixed, can lead to great irreversible damage.
It has been said that present-day artists have taken on the role that the ancient philosophers once had, to see the world more meaningfully and reflect it through their paintings. The Baniasadi sisters have been doing the same, with the latest exhibition being no exception.
The artists
‘Dual Genesis’, a two-person exhibition was held at Chawkandi Art Gallery from 22nd February to 3rd March 2022.
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