Written by: Bilal Sohail
Posted on: May 12, 2022 | 
| 中文
Afternoon by Natalia Ashraf
Do you tend to think visually or verbally? It is suggested that we humans may have different ways of constructing our thoughts. Nonetheless, there is some form of inner narrative or picture that we form inside our heads as we experience every moment. Filmography combines these two mediums of thinking together, as a tool of expression. While this does allow for a more immersive experience, it leaves little room for imagination. This is probably the reason why books and physical art exhibits can never go obsolete. They affect visual and verbal thinkers very differently.
Staying true to the artistic vibe of Lahore, O Art Space is hosting an art exhibition by the name of EVOCATIONS, that started on the 10th of May and will continue till the 16th of this month. The works of four incredibly talented and emerging artists are on display. Quite often, artists don’t like sharing exhibition space with other artists, which is why the concept of a group show was fairly intriguing for us. The talented lineup consists of Maisam Hussain, Mahzaib Baloch, Natalia Ashraf and Sameen Agha. It was refreshing to see that these artists used different mediums to express both meaning and emotion. It was indeed all in the details, the stroke of the brush, the roughness of graphite, and the mood-altering use of colors.
O Art Space
Maisam Hussain graduated from NCA in 2020, with a distinction. Hailing from Parachinar, he pursued visual arts as a means to express the bitter experiences he had there. He aims to encapsulate the trauma, harsh reality, and the wretched permanence of bullets, bombarded buildings, and battle scars through his exceptional work. The use of graphite and gunpowder to recreate the terrorizing scenes of warfare was exemplary. We were quite impressed by the attention to detail in drawing walls, damaged heavily with bullet holes. When looking from a distance, we initially thought that this was a photography display, because of the visual accuracy in his work. The overall tone, however, was somber as intended.
Meray ghar ki dewaar by Maisam Hussain
When thinking about warfare, we often picture explosions and gunfire… but we never stop to think about the lives of innocent children with impressionable minds, and how the sounds and remnants of gunfire must terrorize them every night in war-torn areas. Maisam is a member of ETA (Education Through Art) in Parachinar and is currently part of the visiting faculty at NCA.
Next up, we looked at Mahzaib Baloch's artwork. She is a visual artist from Quetta, Balochistan. Her art style immediately stood out from the rest as we were mesmerized by the irregularity, rich textures and the captivating use of earthy and anomalous colors. She used gouache on archival paper, which tends to be much more opaque than watercolors. There was a great deal of abstraction in her work, but it was still reminiscent of her heritage.
Untitled II (Details) by Mahzaib Baloch
We felt that the 'Untitled II' was fairly representative of how the Balochi cultural heritage is under attack, amidst continued civil unrest there. However, the creative use of colors, especially in 'Untitled III', inspired hope for the future. Mahzaib has previously displayed her work in numerous national and international exhibitions, including group shows in the Swiss Embassy and the Rietberg Museum, Zurich.
After receiving a healthy dose of traumatic realism from Maisam and abstract surrealism from Mahzaib, we were ready to move on to Natalia Ashraf's work. Like the other three artists, Natalia is also an NCA graduate who specialized in 'Traditional Miniature Painting'. While looking at her work, we were quite impressed by the mood she managed to create through her well-detailed life drawings.
It's Has Been Five Hours (Details) by Natalia Ashraf
'It's Been Five Hours' was our personal favorite because of the contrast, use of a familiar traditional setting and the careful curation of expressions on the subject's face. Not only was it a very good life drawing like the rest of her work, but it was also reflective of its well thought out title. Shadows were realistic and the lack of color perfectly complemented the theme of waiting. We felt that her powerful grasp on the perspective design principle is noteworthy indeed. Some of her other works on display, including 'Afternoon', 'Anemia' and 'My Childhood' were also reflective of her artistic prowess.
My Childhood by Natalia Ashraf
While Natalia used graphite as her primary medium, we experienced a refreshing change of pace through the artwork of Sameen Agha. She used oil on canvas and marble to express what we can only think of as subjective realism. For reality is what the artist perceives. The use of marble in framing conveyed a rather different feeling. In 'Home is a terrible place to love', there was an unsettling feeling that she managed to create through the use of carefully laid out bricks.
We felt that Sameen's work as a whole, showcases her versatility as an artist. 'Sadaa Bahar' managed to convey a contrastingly different narrative than the rest of her work which demonstrates her artistic ability. Sameen is a Visual Artist, Art Academic and an Art Curator.
Sadaa Bahar by Sameen Agha
We were quite impressed by the promise our local artists have shown, time and again. At EVOCATIONS, the rollercoaster ride of emotions beginning with terror and gloom, meandered through various different themes. Our imagination was definitely put to the test to make for an engaging experience. We look forward to similar art exhibitions like this at O Art Space, where emerging artists can showcase their work in an environment that is conducive to experimentation. The reasonably priced artwork of these four gifted artists is still on display till the 16th of May. We recommend all art lovers to check it out in person. There is something in it for both visual and verbal thinkers alike.
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