ISLAMABAD: An exhibition of paintings titled ‘Four Fabulous Fascinations’ will open Thursday at Gallery 6. The show includes works by four women painters of Islamabad – Fauzia Minallah, Mubina Zuberi and Sajida Hussain, who are known in the art circles, while Zohra Amrata Shah is an emerging artist.

Inspired by folk art from an early age and fascinated by the earliest artists of the region, Fauzia Minallah is an advocate for conservation of diverse cultural heritage. Her book Chitarkari and Banyans — the pursuit of identity tackles the issue of Pakistan’s past that deserves recognition. She expresses her concerns through different ways about the helplessness of nature and history being destroyed by urbanisation.

On the preview day on Wednesday, Fauzia Minallah said: “For me, art is not only manmade to be found in galleries and museums, but also out there in nature. In my series ‘Meditative Strokes’ displayed here, I preserve the beauty of the abundant trees that add a riot of colours to Islamabad. These trees are the soul of Islamabad and it is painful to see them vanishing in the ongoing mega development projects. As an activist I can protest against the destruction of the green spaces. As painter I can at least preserve this beauty.”

Mubina Zuberi has been painting since 1970s and over the years she has produced diverse series of works.

Her artworks often deal with two very different genres of paintings; one dealing with women and other with abstractions.

Her women are neither glamorous nor are they fairy-tale princesses, mythological figures, embodiments of fertility, folklore legends, or drawn from the traditional Mughal miniature imagery.

These women are composed by simple drawings that use paints to portray a relationship with a moment or an internal expression or feeling.

Mubina Zuberi presents these emotions using pose, posture, angularity, contour, and facial gestures of these women. The effect is further enhanced by her adopted treatment and texture on the canvas. This gives them an unyielding and overriding expression.

Interestingly, one large painting by her shows a distinct interaction of her two genres – women and abstraction. Commenting on her work, the artist stated, “My paintings, whether they are abstract or figurative, are always about interaction of women with their environment and society and how they react to the social pressures in which they compromise and survive.”

With a diploma in painting and sculpture from Hunerkada, Sajida Hussain has held 11 solo and 15 group shows since her first display in 2000.

She received advance training in painting under Mansoor Rahi for two years, her work can be categorised in the school of impressionistic cubical activity, which is based on human and animal figuration.

About her paintings, Sajida said: “I have my own style and my work possesses the ability to transport the viewer to an inner world of imaginations and feelings. I absorb various objects from my surroundings and compile them with an aim to give shape and colour to my imagination, views and thoughts”.

Zohra Amarta Shah did her Bachelors in Fine Arts from Indus Valley School of Arts and Architecture Karachi in 2012, with a major in miniatures.

Her paintings in the show are based on the issue of child abuse, a familiar occurrence in the society. The paintings imaginatively and meticulously reflect both the lusty abusers and children who have suffered, have remained silent or gone unheard, are scarred and wounded - both physically and emotionally.

Talking about the issue and her work Zohra Shah described how the subject is a taboo, talking on child abuse in our society.

“Increased public awareness could help decrease its incidence. My paintings are a form of social protest, creating public awareness about the issue that might lead to some prevention.”

The exhibition will continue daily from 11am to 7pm, including Sundays.

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2014