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    Art Review: 'Manuscription' by Mohsin Shaikh at Tanzara Art Gallery

    Written by: Sana Shahid
    Posted on: May 22, 2017 | | 中文

    An exquisite colour palette and composition by Mohsin Shaikh

    The celebration of art contributes to a healthy society that endorses and appreciates the creativity of artists in a country. This act of celebration not only helps to inspire change, but also benefits the artists by strengthening their confidence and conviction. Tanzara Art Gallery celebrated an amazing talent, Mohsin Shaikh, with a solo show that opened on Friday, 19th May, 2017. Credit goes to the Gallery for promoting emerging artists and providing a platform to showcase their skills.

    The title ‘Manuscription’ explains the core of the exhibition, with self-explanatory artworks on the walls. All of the works are thought-provoking, and it is difficult to take your eyes off them without getting lost in their intricacies. Mohsin has composed visual imagery and text together on life-sized canvases to portray his mantra on life. His depiction of the war between truth and deception has a subtle approach to it, but is still perceptible. He believes that the actual truth is the opposite of what is being perceived by the human mind.

    A replica of a chalkboard with human figures and ladders - Manuscription by Mohsin Shaikh at Tanzara Art Gallery

    A replica of a chalkboard with human figures and ladders

    A young talent like Mohsin Shaikh has stolen the spotlight and marked his territory in the art world through this exhibition. His skill of converting life-sized canvases into chalkboard drawings is admirable, with symbols, scripture and references defining his concepts and experiences. The idea of showing the figures smaller than the scripture is well-balanced, and it highlights the importance of theory, especially in a time when hand-written text has become obsolete. The concept is intriguing, with spot-on execution. The depiction of monumental figures like Marilyn Monroe and Mona Lisa with her iconic smile revives ancient stories associated with them, and one begins to reminisce just by looking at them.

    The artist has followed a somewhat surrealistic approach with an exquisite colour palette, with tones and shades ranging from greens to sepia and blue, and ending up in black. Some paintings seem like actual chalkboards with tiny figures climbing up and writing on the boards, while others are in the foreground, facing the board in the same way that a viewer looks at a painter to comprehend what is being shown on the canvas.

    (L-R) Artist Mohsin Shaikh, Gallery Director Noshi Qadir and Cristina Afridi - Manuscription by Mohsin Shaikh at Tanzara Art Gallery

    (L-R) Artist Mohsin Shaikh, Gallery Director Noshi Qadir and Cristina Afridi

    Mohsin Shaikh’s work leaves multiple interpretations. That is the beauty of a true work of art, which possesses innumerous meanings without having one exact definition. Having a specific concept is an artist’s job, but simplifying that concept for the viewers is a challenging task. An exhibition is truly successful if people not only understand and appreciate the artist’s work, but also relate to it on a personal level.

    Earlier this month, Tanzara put together an outstanding exhibition featuring 30 big names with the news of its reopening in the capital city, and a second show of this calibre proves that the Gallery is growing stronger by the day. The exhibition continues till 9th June, and the originality of this young artist’s work would be of great interest to Islamabad’s art lovers.


    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