Face not only adds sentimental and aesthetic value to life but also presents the best that an individual possesses in his personality. Dreamy, romantic, naughty eyes, charismatic smile, and rosy cheeks; the vital ingredients of a portrait compose a personality around the breathing little tunnels of nostrils.

In literature and art, ‘face value’ has always been characterised through an intentional exaggeration by implying similes and metaphors of unmatched beauty. Sometimes, in the same way, the rage, dislike and helplessness enable an artist to overstate his perception and opinion through distorted, elaborated and spontaneous lines of caricatures.

The exhibition of such caricatures by Zahid Masood at Anna Molka Gallery of the College of Art and Design, Lahore, brought the comic characters out of customary individuals, who have been trying hard to ignore the most interesting aspect of their personality — the cartoon character within. This show attracted many of the artist’s contemporaries to have a look at their distorted yet enchanting face.

The other value of this display was that Masood, by intentionally avoiding any funny or insulting appearance, actually extracted the playfulness of veteran and revered personalities of Pakistani art like Saeed Akhtar, Ajaz Anwar and Shaukat Mahmood. Moreover, his lines also eased Ali Azmat’s moustaches and Mughees Riaz’s beard, with noses challenging the all-famous Pinocchio.

Zahid Masood’s caricatures appear as part of a comic series

Apart from artists and friends, Masood enhanced his pencil skills to target politicians and social figures having interesting and dynamic characters. The naughty nose of some ex-ministers and mischievously dismayed eyes of playwright and actor Anwar Maqsood created a rejuvenating pictorial amusement. The humorous Urdu poet Anwar Masood also appeared smilingly, as he was personifying his own hilarious poems — all encaged in small frames of large dimensions.

Masood holds an MFA degree in graphic design and works independently in this field. However, it all started at Facebook when he sketched a few of his friends, and then everybody was running after the artist to get him / her reincarnated in a hidden, yet somehow known, funny figure.

Pakistan is a nation consisting of quick-tempered and easy-to-provoke individuals. Therefore, our society is not as absorbent towards satire and freedom of expression, as other nations are. In these circumstances, making caricatures of well-known personalities is a brave move.

In all of his frames, the artist seems to do justice to his skills and doesn’t let the exaggerated lines of his caricatures to speak insultingly about the highlighted features. The artist’s work appears as part of a comic series rather than a presentation of cartoon characters.

It is said that in suppressed environments, indirect mediums of expression flourished with a satirical approach, especially in art and literature. Art practice in Pakistan is not yet absorbent enough to react as directly as Dadaism (1916-23) responded, in Europe, against the miseries of World War I. This show can encourage and intrigue many to step forward and present their point of view through their artistic or literary skills, parallel to the lengthy political and politicised reports and columns that we come across daily in our newspapers.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine May 22nd, 2016