Written by: Varda Nisar
Posted on: May 22, 2019 | 
(L) Untitled I by Jam Deepar and (R) Kak Mehal by Nusrat Raza Mangi
To display your work in a public space for general scrutiny is no doubt a bold and courageous move. To do so when one is a teacher, and is bound to be scrutinized by their own students, requires boundless confidence in one’s own talent and skills. This is exactly what is happening at Koel Gallery, Karachi.
The exhibition “Where the Indus Flows,” is a group show by fourteen faculty members of Center of Excellence in Arts and Design (CEAD), Jamshoro. The works are diverse in their range and approach to the subject matter, with a running theme in the works of each artist. This kind of stability in each artist’s own work, points to the focus which one achieves only after years of experimentation.
Consider the works by Amjad Ali Talpur – his four works show a compass which refuses to follow the path it’s destined for, and instead draws a star or the straight line of a square or a triangle. The way the works have been rendered leaves no doubt that this is a work by Talpur. The theme of this body of work is a continuation of his usual subject matter, where things take on new forms.
The same is the case with Abdul Malik Channa’s works, where one can see the strength of his skill shine through his sketches. Titled “Art Lovers,” he pays tribute to the many women who have been working endlessly in the art field. His sketches are able to capture the essence of each person, catching their real-life likeness.
Jam Deepar’s wooden sculptures are filled with details, from the beard of the subjects to the circles under the eyes. And like a master of his craft, he is able to employ the quality of the wood itself, into the overall narrative of his work.
The spirit of Sindh is captured in the works of quite a few artists. In Kashif Shahzad’s work, titled “Khir Thar,” he explores the landscape of the National Park. Capturing the colors of the sand and the play of shadows, his strokes are able to recreate the stillness of his homeland. In another work “Wild Garden,” he captures the lazy flow of the river and the many variations of green, which surround the river on both sides.
Nusrat Raza Mangi, on the other hand, explores the architecture of this region through his terracotta sculptures. His “Kak Mehal” and “Hyderabad 1935,” both capture the traditional designs, complete with windcatchers and domes. Placed on their own purpose-built wooden platforms, they seem to be presented as an example of a time long gone by. His third work, inspired and titled after Sachal Sarmast’s verse, “Jenh Dil Peta Isq da Jaam” (Whose Heart Drinks the Drink of Love) captures a fakir with a grown beard and a stick in hand. The green staining of the work seems likes a symbolic nod towards the holy significance of this color, while the lines and the features of the fakir point towards the Sufi way.
Pir Najeebullah’s colorful canvases focus on everyday scenes and capture “The Village”, “The Procession” and “The Mourners” as their subject matter. Together, they seem to be forming a narrative of the life that the artist has grown up seeing around him.
Raj Kumar’s choice of material seems to be a poignant metaphor for the condition of the minorities in this country. Using dice and fish wire and titled, “Target,” the work at first glance resembles a Tetris game. But explore it a bit more, and the dice becomes a symbolic representation of the sheer luck, while the fish wire starts to stand in for the hunt that seems to be going on against minorities.
Nizam Dahiri’s “One Million Dollar” can be read as a perfect encapsulation of the current economic scenario. Depicting a singular million dollar bill, with the words Pakistan Zindabad painted on it, the work is able to capture the attention of the viewer by its sheer size and social commentary.
Sandleen Maqsood paints stories and poems, in her black and white works. The presentation of her work reminds one of a dream in which all is rosy and clear, with a sense of serenity. Surrounding the subject matter of her works – children – with fairies and flowers, they appear as if one is viewing them from a kaleidoscope.
A group show is always a great way to see the range of talents, subject matters, skills and be amazed by the diverse ways in which each artist is able to capture their surroundings. This show is no exception. One feels reassured that if these artists are the ones mentoring the next generation of artists, we will continue to be pleasantly surprised.
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