April 10, 2004

Marjorie Husain reports on the recently held Emerging Talent 2004 show at the V.M. Gallery, Karachi

Art is a form of communication that reflects the times, the environment of the artist and aspects of humanity: love, despair, beauty, as well as expanding perceptions and introducing new realities. Art has a world of its own with its heroes, its followers, its detractors, those that think art is precious and those who consider it to be ‘rubbish’.

Students may follow their studies in many parts of the world generally learning similar techniques and exploring familiar images in international art history. Museums and galleries are a necessary part of every student’s education, the equivalent of “free universities” to draw upon at will. In Pakistan where museums are thin on the ground, students depend on their schools and teachers to organize programmes with guest speakers to discuss art and artists.

While aesthetic sense directs viewers to see works of art in certain contexts, it is originality that creates a yardstick of artistic significance. The study of art is the beginning of a continuous inward search. It is not concerned with great works or remarkable skills alone but also ideally initiates an awareness of the role art plays in everyday aspects of life.

In the present era of satellites and computers, art developments throughout the world can be monitored on the Internet and a much greater power of receptivity is demanded than in former ages, yet knowledge of the past is an essential facet of the study of art.

In ’53, then a young artist and teacher, Syed Ali Imam, talked in Lahore of the importance to young artists of knowledge of eastern art philosophies as well as contemporary western methods. A thorough grounding in the development of European art from the classical period to development into modern art concepts were explained by teachers of the calibre of Shakir Ali and Anna Molka Ahmed, who trained generations of teachers to propagate art throughout the country. Thanks to their teaching, University departments from Peshawar to Balochistan, Lahore to Sindh, now have well established departments of fine arts along with reputed art schools, the best known among them being the National College of Art, Lahore.

Artists are free to create new forms and techniques to express their ideas and emotions in work that increases the perception of the viewer. And every year, art lovers eagerly visit their city art schools to view the work of graduate art students before they enter the outside world. Unfortunately, students from further afield often lack gallery venues and enthusiasts, keen to see and purchase fresh viewpoints, are restricted by distance.

Eager to encourage young graduates on a national scale, the V.M. Gallery, Karachi, took the decision to hold a national ‘emerging talent’ exhibition every year, calling upon schools from every region to select two students for the exhibition. Last year was the first exhibition in this series and a very exciting event. Visitors were introduced to a number of painters, sculptors and artists working with mixed-media in a show dominated by work from the National College of Art, Lahore.

This year the honours were shared among art departments and graduates with no particular institute dominating the show. Interesting work contributed by universities from Balochistan, Punjab, Sindh and Karachi, as well as The National College of Art, Karachi School of Art, Central Institute of Arts and Crafts, the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture and North City School, Karachi. Paintings, sculpture in various media, prints, drawings, ceramics and miniature work vied for the viewer’s attention taking up the entire two galleries at the V.M.

An outstanding entry came from the CIAC, Karachi, with just one graduate but a powerhouse of initiative and talent. Rizwana Masoom had chosen ‘Walls’ as her subject, fascinated as she was, she explained, by the walls scarred by the elements, and others covered by posters and graffiti, seen everyday on her journey to and from school. Large canvases were boldly textured by layers of paint applied with palette knife and creating a narrative of not only one wall, but also a neighbourhood and indeed an entire segment of society. It was surprisingly mature and perceptive work for an artist who, as the only fine art graduate in her year, missed the interaction of group dynamics.

From Quetta came very attractive landscapes on a small scale by Mazhar Hameed and Fahim Ahmed who approached the traditional genre with an objective, individual viewpoint. They described vast rugged spaces traversed by nomadic people. Hameed’s painting portrayed a barren, rocky terrain made beautiful by the contrasting blue sky.

Fahim portrayed a band of itinerants resting in traditional tented shelter evoking a sense of space and isolation through a disciplined use of colour. The Fine Arts department at the Balochistan University is a lively department whose students appear to have a natural aptitude for the line and colour. About 40 per cent are young women, whose talents are a legacy of the ancient artistic traditions of Balochistan.

The NCA, Lahore, made its presence felt through the work of four graduates. Maham Iftikhar took ‘Split Personality Masks’ as her theme, covering a large canvas with a series of impersonal masks that appeared to symbolize the inward isolation of individuals. As Evard Munch wrote to a friend, “A feeling of solidarity with one’s generation yet standing apart...”

A large canvas by Aroosa Naz, also of the NCA, titled ‘Sleep’, captured the somnolent ambience of long, summer afternoons in Lahore. Ripe fruit and the subject’s hand protectively curled over her stomach in sleep hint at fecundity. Aqeel Solangi’s non-figurative oil paintings on board, and wax sculpture by Amna Ilyas were also selected to represent the NCA in the exhibition.

Najia Moeen and Bina Virk from Punjab University showed totally different viewpoints, each in her own way, initiating an exciting dialogue. Bina had taken the example of Abstract Expressionists, painting, splashing and dripping oils on cloth yet appearing to have the control of the medium in a ‘kite’ image of ‘Orange Cross’, and the not quite chaos of ‘Within Base and Without Base’.

Najia’s thoughtful, adeptly painted study of a seated young woman is linked to her deep interest in literature and poetry. Illuminated by an emerald green square, the subject is surrounded by a broad expanse of darkness. Earlier this year, Najia’s painting shown at the Punjab Artist’s Association exhibition, was one of the outstanding exhibits in the show.

Also from Punjab University, Aneeta Bano experimented with realistic images and space with objects linked to leisure activities: a tea-cup, guitar, radio etc., and grouping canvases in frames.

Azha Amin’s ‘Models’, a large enigmatic portrait rendered in oils on canvas, showed a middle-aged couple in the studio. The easels stood empty and paintings hung with face to the wall raising several questions in the viewer’s mind. Was the couple standing apart actually modelled to be painted, or perhaps a couple ironically depicted as ‘models of society’? Azha, offering clues for the discerning, leaves it up to the viewer to decide.

Prints, miniature work, metal sculpture and painting from Karachi University added to the diversity of the show and its young talents. Naveed Iqbal offered glimpses of many lives through the windows of a horizontal train-like structure and a tall, vertical apartment house. Enlarging the central area of the structure, Naveed introduces viewers to an urban, apartment-dwelling family while outside, in the tradition of album painting, small figures went about their business and streets boasted leafy trees.

A painting by Zhalay Sarhadi had an organic quality, and another created by Erum Ghani was a wonderful suggestion of ‘creepie crawlies’ using metal as her medium, skillfully invested the floor based sculpture with a sense of curving movement. These would make a great conversation piece in a garden.

Amra Mukhtar paid homage to her mother in the traditional domestic symbol of a ‘sewing machine’. A grand model decorated with cotton spools, a tape-measure and painted base, the sculpture contrasted interestingly to the subtly menacing work of Indus Valley’s sculptor Aamir Habib, whose seemingly harmless domestic symbol, on closer examination, became a weapon of destruction.

For the first time one saw the work of graduates of the Fine Arts department of Sindh University, Jamshoru, a department which has been quiet in recent times. The works displayed by five young women graduates were similar in approach and in their organic theme. The most successful was a smaller-scaled, mixed-media work by Roohi Bano. Shapes, uncertain on a larger scale, when reduced in size glowed with intensity. A celebratory piece by Shenaz Mazher, ‘Rhythm of Life’, portrayed conical images festooned by bright, moving streamers; Shenita Anwar’s ‘Roots of Life’, a mixed-media work by Fehmida Bakht and Saima Yaseen’s mixed-media work completed the ensemble.

Karachi School of Art produced some strong exhibits this year, among them sculptors Imran Shah, working in metal and fibre and Usman Gull also producing striking metal pieces. Hina Ansari worked in the medium of wood to create a giant ‘nut and bolt’. Both Usman and Imran had chosen hard images of war as their themes, softening the images with frothy, finely manipulated sheets of metal. Showing remarkable drawing skills, the KSA’s Farah Ahmed explored the phenomenon of crumbled paper as her theme using charcoal on paper and oils on canvas with dramatic effect.

A single entry from the North City School, Karachi, was that by Rabab Zehra, whose work on wood, ‘Willow Tree’, proved very successful in exhibition. Rabab used portions of a tree trunk, utilizing the wood grain as a background for the wall-based tree images. The environmental concept has a lot of possibilities and with deeper etched images, takes the artist on a worthwhile journey.

A single ceramist attracted admiring attention with a collection of tactile forms and pleasing shapes. Urooj Shahab from the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, Karachi, showed her work in terracotta, white clay and glaze. ‘Flakes of Snow’, ‘Four Walls’ and ‘White Pearls’, were just three admirable items from the very impressive body of work.

Large surfaces were utilized by Auj Khan to portray bold, figurative works describing cameos scenes from the young man’s life. Sculptor Aamir Habib and painter Nadya Hussain, were two of the most outstanding students of their year from IVSAA, and in common with all the contributing artists, were chosen to represent their art institutes in the Emerging Talent 2004 display.