Written by: Sana Shahid
Posted on: May 24, 2023 | 
| 中文
Dar-o-Deewar XVIII by Hamza Bin Faisal
Realms, memories, and desires are intricately intertwined elements that shape our perception of the world and define our human experience. A realm is a landscape against which our memories are formed, representing the spaces, environments, and communities that provide the context for our lives. On the other hand, memories are the fragments of our past experiences that we carry within us, serving as a bridge between the realms we have encountered and the ones that we currently reside in. They are the repositories of emotions, knowledge, and personal narratives, etching their imprints on our consciousness. It is through memories that desire emerges—a powerful force that pushes us forward, urging us to seek fulfillment, purpose and connection. Desire arises from the interplay of our memories, drawing upon the realms we have known and igniting a longing for what lies beyond. Whether it be a longing for love, success, adventure or understanding, it is desire that motivates us to explore new realms, both external and internal. In this dance between realms, memories and desires, we navigate the complex concept of human existence, constantly seeking meaning, growth and the fulfillment of our deepest aspirations.
Hamsar by Ramsha Haider
‘A Mirror On My Heart’ is a group exhibition of miniature painters that takes you to a realm curated by artists in the form of their artworks. Miniature painting has always been quite meticulous in terms of its details, intricacy and techniques. Miniature painting is an art form which requires precision and complexity. It also follows a method of layering up in order to add maximum details to the artwork. With her skillful strokes and vivid imagination, Brishna Amin Khan has created a realm unlike any other through her mesmerizing paintings. With each brushstroke, she breathes life into her canvas, conjuring a world that transcends the boundaries of reality. Through her artistry, Khan forms a realm where colors dance, landscapes unfold and emotions are stirred. In this imaginary land, viewers were transported to a realm where dreams and fantasies merged seamlessly with the tangible world. Khan’s paintings became a pathway into this enchanting reality, inviting and grasping the attention of the viewers to further look into it. Although the paintings depict landscapes that are rather familiar, they exude a serene quality. ‘Let Me Chase Thy Waving Lines’ depicts a breathtaking landscape with a hint of a yellowish tinge in the sky, conveying the existence of the sun. With bold colours, minute details and a linear perspective, everything is blended and merged effortlessly with each other.
Let Me Chase Thy Waving Lines by Brishna Amin Khan
Hamza Bin Faisal works on creating spaces inspired by reality. His artwork is the epitome of hyper-realism, where the viewers have difficulty differentiating between artwork and the actual cardboard. Faisal chose to paint a cardboard on top of a Wasli to create a 3-dimensional aspect. Even though the visuals are inspired by real-life settings, the artist has formed another intangible world with the image looking like cardboard from one side, and a historical wall from another. He has played around with the concept of imagination and reality, and juxtaposed the two in order to generate amazing artworks. However, the imagery takes the viewer to a historical setup that has been painted stunningly in sepia tones and shades. ‘Dar-o-Deewar XVI’, portrays an old historical part of the town where the houses have double doors opening up on the streets, with a two-seater bench placed next to the door for people to sit and chit chat. The chipped paint of the wall shows the admirable command of the artist over miniature painting.
Dar-o-Deewar XVI by Hamza Bin Faisal
Ramsha Haider has created a poetic realm of her own, intertwined with mystery. Haider takes inspiration from her surroundings, demonstrating multiple flocks of birds in her works. ‘Hamsar’ is a painting in which flocks of birds are commuting somewhere in the vast darkness of the sky. This artwork is a diptych, where one scenario highlights a flock of birds that is preparing to leave before dawn in search of food, while the other one depicts birds returning home after a long day. Like Ramsha Haider, Zafar Ali has also worked on the idea of birds in his works. His paintings are a bold blend of colours, with more centralized compositions. ‘Qalb-e-Muztar’ highlights a figure placed in the middle of the frame, with numerous species of birds all around. The figure seems to be sitting in a rather uncomfortable manner, as the birds circling above create a sense of distress.
Qalb-e-Muztar II by Zafar Ali
Umna Laraib has curated an unworldly space of love that highlights the disappointment, heartbreak and the emotions associated with it. She has tapped into a side of love that's deeper and more sensitive than what is usually seen or portrayed. The visuals are a bunch of landscapes with bold and bright colours. Laraib has painted landscapes in a graphic manner that is intriguing and pleasing to the viewers, even though the works highlight a rather vulnerable side of love.
Untitled by Umna Laraib
This exhibition is a portal to explore realms uncharted, to experience emotions unspoken, and to discover the depths of the human spirit. Through their artistic creations, the artists have offered us a glimpse into realms that exist only within their imaginations, forever captivating and inspiring the viewer.
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