Sabina Zeba Haque picked an idyllic setting for her work. Koel gallery is a vast expanse of whiteness upon which the colours had a chance to dominate the ambiance. Most of her work is startlingly and intensely vibrant. Some of the larger work like ‘No man’s land’, ‘City of Lights’ and ‘Crater’ makes a strangely strong, vague contrast between the darkness converging into almost blinding brightness.

The first thing I noticed was that all her work made me feel like I was in a better place. It was warmly psychedelic and surreal but made a definite statement. I told Sabina what I thought and she said ‘well, I’m a psychedelic person!’ She spoke fast and energetically and the energy was apparent in the art surrounding her. The reliance on primary colours was satisfying in an innate way. Heavy, painfully tangible reds and warm enlightening yellows made more apparent by brooding blues.

There is a strong pull towards the earthly center and unity. With depictions of umbilical cords, roots of a tree, fractions of the human heart, inflections of womb-like nuclei, the theme is dominatingly positive. Of course Haque tells you that she picked the maps from one of the most popular war zone games; Call of Duty, which she played herself and some of her paintings have that looming foreshadowing, of drones and of being watched by external, judging eyes. Definitely there is that concept but it emerges into something that is offering peace. If it is a war-zone it is littered with lotuses and compassion. If its Pandoras box it is unleashing ribbons of light instead of despair.

Her decision on which images to use in her paintings and what will hit home to an audience is Pakistan is uncanny. She picks imagery of satellites in space, the profile of the earth, young offshoots, hands covered in henna and spirals and roots to speak to the larger majority- one that, at its core, despises conflict and desires harmony. — Text by Mehar Khursheed and Photos by Shameen Khan/Dawn.com

The exhibit titled 'Nishana' is open from March 14, 2013 - March 24, 2013, At 'Koel Gallery', Karachi.