KARACHI: An exhibition of artist Farah Khan’s latest body of work titled Know Thyself is currently under way at the Art Chowk Gallery.

It is interesting she has used a phrase –– know thyself –– which has strong spiritual connotations. That’s what the artist has mentioned in her statement as well. First, she quotes Fariduddin Attar: “When you fail to find yourself, to know yourself here, how will you be able to understand the secret of your existence when you die.” Then Khan connects Attar’s line with Allama Iqbal’s theory of khudi. In both cases, what she’s trying to say is that in order for us to know the divine, we must first discover ourselves. She also throws Greek philosopher Socrates’ ideas into the mix. In his view by looking inwards we can also have grasp of other human beings and nature.

This makes the show worth visiting because here two major schools of human learning, philosophy and spirituality, come together. What becomes more intriguing is that the central symbol that Khan uses to put her thoughts, not message, across is that of the rose.

Now, rose, the flower, is one of the countless beautiful features of nature. This means that the artist doesn’t move drastically away from the philosophical thought while her emphasis on the spiritual journey remains steadfast. And elements of both these strands can be seen in her work.

The choice of the medium, mixed media on wasli, is apt. It lends a gentle and somewhat soulful touch to the artworks. There’s a bit of abstraction to the untitled exhibits as well, but that abstraction hints at the grey areas in life (read: existence). On the other hand, the red rose, with all its manifestations of romance and mortality, keeps the images as realistic as they can be in a spiritual world. Wait. What about the physical world? Well, the rest of the colours that Khan employs denote that. Or so it seems.

The exhibition concludes on April 24.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2018