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    Art Review: 'Loompaland' at Studio Seven, Karachi

    Written by: Hamad Ali
    Posted on: November 09, 2017 | | 中文

    Safwan Subzwari's 'Munasib Maulvi'

    An art exhibition titled ‘Loompaland’ opened at Studio Seven, Karachi on the 7th of November, showcasing the works of Safwan Subzwari, Anum Lasharie, Maryam Arslan, and Sophia Balagamwala. If you’ve read the children’s novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, you’ll know how the character Willy Wonka describes Loompaland. According to him, it is a desolate land covered with thick jungles, inhabited by horrid beasts. However, most people outside of Wonka's factory dismiss it as utter nonsense. According to Rabia Ali, the curator of the exhibition, “A work of fiction is an act of creative imagination, so its audience does not assume it to be realistic.” This is exactly what the show delivered; representations of the daily and mundane in creative forms. Though the work can be dismissed by an audience as pure fiction, it actually alludes to everyday realities.

    Sophia Balagamwala's 'Private Pyaaray II'

    Sophia Balagamwala's 'Private Pyaaray II'

    As I walked down the stairs, my ears tingled with the faint noises from the news bulletins being played in Sophia Balagamwala’s installation ‘very important announcements’. Made of fiber glass and enamel, the shape of the television setups resembles brains with two antennas stuck in, an allusion to our nonsensical, fictitious, and distorted version of events. “The installation presents the election campaigns of a series of fictional politicians who are running for office in the upcoming elections. Their speeches sound suspiciously similar,” said Sophia. Interestingly, the sounds from the multiple animated video clips, merged together to form a cacophonous conundrum. One was unable to understand even a single message, and this sly jab at television talk shows, adds another layer to the work.   

    Maryam Arslan’s mini canvases, sized 7x7 inches, were a visual treat. As a self-portrait artist, Arslan likes to use her intuition and impulses to build “scrumptious narratives.” The series titled ‘Of food and other demons,’ consisted of paintings clearly showing her unprecedented love for food and her fantasies about it. Each piece proved her expertise in oils, and her attention to detail was visible in every stroke. Whether it was the thick oil paint piped onto the cupcake, or the deliberate spill of brown onto the white frame which gave the impression of chocolate, every painting told a story which, “transcends beyond space and time,” in Arslan’s words.

    Maryam Arslan's 'Of Food and Other Demons'

    Maryam Arslan's 'Of Food and Other Demons'

    Safwan Subzwari’s two large and eight small paintings attracted all the attention due to their illustrative style. His works are a socio/cultural commentary on the identity crisis our society is going through. Sex and religion were some of the recurring themes in his works. ‘Munasib Maulvi’ was a commentary on the religious scholars and leaders of our society, who appear to be backward, rigid, and benighted, in a world that is rapidly changing. Depicting a woman wearing a scarf, a liquor bottle, a few maulvis and a background full of stars; the painting was witty and self-explanatory. It highlighted the double standards and hypocrisy of those who claim to be guardians of religion.

    Safwan Subzwari's work

    Safwan Subzwari's 'English Beauty Cream'

    Anum Lasharie's 'Waiting and Wanting'

    Anum Lasharie's 'Waiting and Wanting'

    Anum Lasharie’s huge canvases, with figurative depictions, were a treat to look at. Her work typically explores the inner self of an individual, such as our conflicted self in the materialistic and erratic world that we inhabit. For this show, her work revolved around the theme of anxiety and self-discovery. The piece ‘Waiting and wanting’, portrayed a woman confined to a single room with just one window to the world outside. What struck one was that the clouds depicted outside the window, were also painted on the dress of the woman. Besides conveying the desire of the woman for freedom, perhaps another point being made was that that everyone is free, once the layers of imposed patriarchy and even capitalism, are peeled off. In a hetero-patriarchal society, it is no wonder that all of the women in Lasharie’s canvases seem to be trapped.

    The works testified to the expertise of the artists, while their subject matter was an exploration of fiction and fantasy relating to the ironies of reality. All of it was perfectly encompassed by the title, ‘Loompaland.’ The exhibition ends on the 18th of November.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021