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    Art Review: 'Memoir' at Grandeur Art Gallery, Karachi

    Exhibition Memoir at Grandeur Art Gallery, Karachi

    Written by: Nageen Shaikh
    Posted on: April 14, 2017 | | 中文

    'A Lost Earring' - Sana Nezam

    A group show curated by SM Raza opened at the Grandeur Art Gallery in Karachi on April 12, titled Memoir and showcasing the work of four dynamic artists: Batool Zehra, Nayab Noor, Zahra Asim and Sana Nezam. With canvases exploring sub-themes of mysticism, creativity and a longing for the past, the show features works that bring back long forgotten childhood memories, thoughts and dreams.

    'Paper, The Origin of Creativity' - Nayab Noor - Exhibition ‘Memoir’ at Grandeur Art Gallery, Karachi

    'Paper, The Origin of Creativity' - Nayab Noor

    Nayab Noor, a self-taught artist hailing from Karachi, smears large canvases in portraits with conspicuous and bold brush strokes, immediately evoking a strong sense of nostalgia. The layout of these untitled paintings is seemingly straightforward, but hides layers of emotion underneath. Nayab’s work reminded me of Vincent Van Gough and Cezanne’s paintings, as her impressionistic pieces seem as though they yearn to say something to the viewer. “Portrait is my main theme, which defines the emotions that lie in the mind of a person if he or she wants to say something”, explains Nayab. Her piece, Paper, The Origin of Creativity, shows less dense, almost careless, but vivid strokes that depict a young girl creating objects with paper. This again takes us back to childhood memories and the unrestrained creative energy that one possesses in one’s youth.

    “What we have today becomes a memory tomorrow, and ultimately everything disperses. I burn down different materials and use ash to create something new”, says Batool Zehra, a fine artist from Karachi. She paints in mixed media, making particular use of ash in her artworks. Handling the material very diligently, Batool creates a layer on the surface where tiny bubbles and circles come together to create a unified piece of art. Through her piece Entangled, Batool portrays the deconstruction of thoughts, ideas and memories, which disappear ever so quickly like a bubble. Her other works reflect cherished memories, with Dear Diary as a standout piece, showing a group of friends enjoying a day out on what appears to be a sunny day.

    'Dear Diary' - Batool Zehra - Exhibition ‘Memoir’ at Grandeur Art Gallery, Karachi

    'Dear Diary' - Batool Zehra

    Sana Nezam reflects on relationships and memories with the use of subtle imagery and symbolism. With verses taken from Rumi’s poetry, Sana creates a broad scape of textures on her canvas, and depicts not only her past experiences, but also her family members including her brother, niece and her own son. A sense of longing can be felt, as her subjects exude a somber feeling over something that has been lost. In A Lost Earring, Sana paints her niece, who appears sad after having lost a treasured possession. She has handled the paint and the textures skillfully to portray the little girl’s sentiments through her facial expressions. In Flight, Sana paints the younger version of her brother, who appears to be playing with a paper aeroplane, as a bird – a symbol of innocence – flies above him. “I painted my brother as being under the protection of a Taweez (talisman or an amulet). The white flowers which we used to call dum dum in our childhood don’t show up anymore, so I painted them as well; these objects represent the concept of personal attachment for us”, says Sana.

    Realistic imagery by Zahra Asim - Exhibition ‘Memoir’ at Grandeur Art Gallery, Karachi

    Realistic imagery by Zahra Asim

    Finally, Zahra Asim from Lahore paints realistic images of what appear to be memories of a room and objects that she spent a lot of time with. Her works are full of details and colours that compel the viewer to gaze at them for a long time, searching for specific elements while admiring their depth. Created on smaller canvases, her artworks depict closed spaces filled with everyday items that may appear mundane at first, but have the ability to evoke strong memories from one’s past.

    Memoir features a vibrant, fascinating collection, as it brings together vastly different artworks under a common theme, and the pieces on display are the result of different personal experiences and memories of the four artists. The show will continue at the Grandeur Art Gallery till April 22.


    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