Written by: Shahnawaz Ramay
Posted on: June 21, 2022 | 
| 中文
Akram Dost Baloch's painting
A painting exhibition “Heartscape” was displayed at Islamabad Art Gallery in F9 Park. The exhibition was curated by the eminent, master artist of Pakistan, Akram Dost. Hailing from Balochistan, Akram Dost sahib has created the paintings as an ode to the landscapes in various complexities that exist in the province. On the surface, the paintings seem only to capture landscapes, but upon a closer inspection, it is a testimony to a much more personal expression.
The paintings are a celebration of the artist’s life and work, overlaid with intricate emotions and feelings. The artworks are a testimony to the span of human emotion, encompassing a life filled with hope, laughter, fear, dreams and aspirations. All the while, the artist also aims to bring something new to the field of visual and applied arts and does so magnificently. Heartscape is a vision of Akram Dost’s world. It is the merging of land, life and people. The paintings seem to capture poetry and history in one. When you first enter the gallery, you will mistake the frames as pictures. A multitude of white blocks are adorned with small to medium-sized frames which house the spectacular work of the artist. Layers and layers of color, texture, shapes and hues pull the viewer in. “Such an accurate depiction of millions of years of geological marvel must surely be a photograph”, one thinks.
Painting 1
But much to the delight of the viewer, these are actually ink washes on paper. Meticulously placed and with ingenious miniature rendering, Akram Dost has displayed a mastery of his skill and talent. While some frames remain mute and dull in black and white, Akram Dost compliments it with a flourish of shapes and texture. The absolute perplexity of the layering gives an almost hyper-realistic quality to the ink washes. The eye travels smoothly and yet among the maze of washes, the brain can still discern the sky, land and mountains. The dripping effect, an ode to the beauty of the landscape of Balochistan that perhaps took millions of years, is effortlessly captured by Akram Dost.
Painting 2
The colored frames are vivid and saturated. Using primary tones, the artist uses his skill and mastery to create stunning pieces of visual art. Some of his larger depictions seem monotone, but looking closer, each color and shade is mixed to perfection to almost look the same. The earthy and ethereal feel to Akram Dost’s paintings is undeniable. These are truly a work of a master artist, who has spent years of time and effort to bring forth a culmination of the new wave of applied and visual arts to Pakistan.
Painting 3
“Although I work in different mediums, this is a totally new approach to my work that I wanted to bring forward. I prefer to work on themes related to issues, much like this exhibition. These paintings speak of different emotions of nature. I have used color and shapes to portray its screams. I also want to address the misconceptions surrounding my homeland. As one of the oldest civilizations, people, in general, tend to forget that it has a rich history of poetry, dance and art.”
Painting 4
Akram Dost Baloch is among the founding faculty of the Fine Arts Department at the University of Baluchistan, which has imparted him with an in-depth knowledge of the history, arts, and crafts of his region, and much of that is incorporated in his work. His approach to work is a reflection of his own personal aesthetic issues, assimilating nature with life.
(Left) Akram Dost Baloch and Jamal Shah speaking at the opening show at F9 Park (Right)
In 2004, Akram Baloch received the President’s Pride of Performance, the highest art award in Pakistan, and is now a recognized name in the art circles of Pakistan and abroad for his ethnic paintings and sculpture with international appeal. With the use of local motifs and bright palettes, he has been commenting on the social issues of Balochistan on his canvases for the past many years. After experiencing the injustices of the world at a young age, Akram Dost found an outlet for his anger and despair for the oppressive system through painting.
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