Written by: Sana Shahid
Posted on: January 01, 2024 | 
| 中文
Untitled VII
Shapeshifting is a contemporary concept often demonstrated by Marvel or DC comic movies, where either the superheroes or villains have shapeshifting abilities as their powers. An exhibition titled ‘Shapeshifting’ by Seher Naveed, not only gives away the gist of the show in a monosyllable, but also acts as a reminder of such movies. However, Naveed’s work doesn’t focus on the shapeshifting capabilities of human beings, but rather on those of the cities we live in.
Untitled III
In today's cities, big walls, tall gates, and strong metal grills have taken over public spaces. They've built clear linear boundaries between public and private places like homes of important families, government offices and gated neighborhoods. These barriers have become a permanent part of our cityscapes because of security issues, and multiple residential societies breaking cities into smaller parts, which ends in less freedom to move around. Unfortunately, this change doesn't just affect the physical places we share; it also makes the quality of our shared spaces worse. This issue is more than just these things being there physically. It's also about how they control the way people can move in and out. The communities that use these barriers often end up taking over jobs that used to be done by the government, like protecting everyone and taking care of parks, and encourages a way of life that's closed off from the rest of the community.
Detail (Untitled IX)
Naveed’s paintings are like a visual representation of boundaries, hindrances and the linearity that has completely modified our cities into some types of mazes. They show how these big walls and gates change the way things look around us. Her artworks highlight the challenges that affect our ideal vision and perspectives, all influenced by political and economic control. The paintings investigate how these things, whether they're tangible or imaginary, control what people do and how they see things. Naveed purposely makes the paintings a bit uncertain, so they show the life altering cities, people’s mobility and the hindrances destroying a perfect vision.
Untitled I
In contemporary times, the world’s architecture has evolved into embracing the organic nature of landscapes and creating structures like an extension of them to show connectivity between nature and man-made objects. In our case, however, spaces around us are taking a rather more rigid outlook with these enormous, heavy, cemented and alien constructions everywhere, creating a negative visual impact. They're not just separating different parts of the urban spaces but they're also permanently segregating humans and their interactions with each other. Unfortunately, these changes aren't just altering the physical appearance of our shared spaces, but they're also making our public spaces less enjoyable. This issue goes beyond the physical structures themselves, and also relates to the subtle ways of dictating and taking away the freedom that once existed.
Detail IV
It's admirable how Naveed uses her paintings to document and highlight the impact of these architectural features in her artworks. Through abstract forms, devoid of strong emotions, Naveed allows diverse interpretations to emerge, revealing the inherent instability and the lack of freedom. The bold bright colours, the linear lines forming geometric shapes within shapes like a pattern, and the unique compositions represent the talent that Naveed possesses, and all these characteristics add an element of movement to the rather static appearing artworks. Naveed shows her true command over the medium with the solid application of paints over a hard surface like Medium Density Fireboard (MDF), implies the use of a more layered technique for the colours to be bright and popping, instead of being faded, dull and grainy. The artist has used a consistent colour palette, including different shades and tones of blue, red, brown, grey, black and green. The canvases she has used are cut out to resemble 2D mechanical, transformers-like forms that are ready to change their appearance at any second. This gives her work a more artificial feel, further enhancing the core of her ideas.
Detail (Untitled V)
Seher Naveed's artistic exploration is deeply rooted in the socio-political evolution of Karachi and its impact on the local inhabitants' lifestyles. Employing drawing as her primary medium, she examines her surrounding spaces, drawing inspiration from the recurring geometric patterns found in Karachi's urban settings. Acknowledging that architecture can be a powerful symbol of a society's envisioned future, her artistic journey has progressed to include intricate architectural details from the complex city. Karachi's topography has undergone substantial shaping due to periods of political instability, and Seher's practice reflects this dynamic interplay between politics and urban form over the years.
Taking the chaotic energy of a megacity like Karachi and turning it into artworks that are very minimal, is an ability not many artists can boast of, but Naveed has done it beautifully. Her work really does capture one’s imagination, inspiring them to think more deeply and make connections between the abstract forms and the physical world. Naveed’s work is also important because it highlights how cities that once had character have gradually turned into jungles of concrete and monotony, leading not only to visual changes but also environmental ones.
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