The spirit of joie de vivre is the hallmark of Shahida Manzoor’s paintings.

With nature as her muse and colour as her forte, the senior artist, Dr Shahida Manzoor recently set Lahore’s Hamail Gallery ablaze with her vibrant canvases. The spirit of joie de vivre interspersed with moments of contemplation were the hallmark of the exhibition, which got a resounding response from many Lahori viewers, as was evident from the large number of canvases sold. In a world darkened by sad events, it seems people wish to surround themselves by colours that can boldly display the happier side of life.

This exhibition was actually Manzoor’s first solo other than the one she held more than two decades ago, as part of her master’s exhibition at the University of Punjab. As a senior artist and academician who has served her alma mater since 1989 and has the honour of being the first Pakistani woman to earn a PhD in fine arts from the US, Manzoor has a niche of her own in local art circles. She has obviously been more preoccupied with the academic side of her subject, as is apparent from the number of papers written and seminars attended.

Though she has been contributing to local group shows since the past many years, it is only now that she has come forth with a body of work that could make a more obvious impact. The influence of senior teachers Anna Molka and Zubaida Javed in particular can be discerned in her style and she herself acknowledges their contribution to her development as an artist.

‘Anhad Nad’ is Manzoor’s chosen title for her current collection of work, which represents “an echo of limitless boundaries, a sound which calls for a constant process of creation”. The concept of Anhad Nad actually emanates from the writings of the 14th century Indian poet Kabir, revered by people of diverse faiths and those immersed in Sufi thought processes in particular. In this context Anhad Nad is quite literally — ‘unstruck sound’, a sound without vibration signifying the sound of the cosmos and human consciousness, transcending space and time.

Manzoor’s passionate colours, often whirling strokes and light effects emanating from within the forms, indicate her attempt to express this esoteric philosophy through oil paint on canvas. The large to medium-sized paintings do represent ‘nature’, be it in the form of leaves, flowers, birds or even the human body in various postures symbolising a particular mood, but these are not solidified or corporeal images, rather in a state of movement or flux, as if to affirm their being a part of the larger canvas of the universe.

The ‘semi abstract’ manner of painting which the artist calls ‘Synchronism’, lays emphasis on the impact of colour, which indeed is the most redeeming element of the body of work. The contrasting hues, applied in a variety of techniques, are at times almost neon like in their brightness, engaging the senses in a revelry that can be internalised through contemplation.

Some colour combinations may be almost disconcerting, as if the artist had gone overboard in the attempt to express her inner moods. At other times, a more sombre perspective is apparent and the artist limits the palette accordingly.

Indeed, Manzoor’s first solo show seems to have established her signature style as a colourist with spiritual and philosophical vigour.