KARACHI: There’s a slight difference between duality and binary. The latter is a distinction between two things put in a sequence or one order; the former, on the other hand, is to do with contrast — it can have negative connotations. For example, duality in a man’s character can often be construed as negative. But Sayeda M. Habib, in an exhibition of her artworks titled Dance of Dualities that concludes on April 5 at the Canvas Art Gallery, has taken the idea to the spiritual plane.

The artist is interested in the cosmic possibilities for man to find unity in the dualities which being part of the mortal world makes him experience on a regular basis.

Habib’s intentions, of talking about the spiritual journey, are clear from exhibit 1 titled ‘Kashf’ (acrylic on canvas, variable). Now kashf, as some of us know, is an Arabic word meaning ‘to unveil’. This suggests a strong association with the knowledge of the unseen, the felt and the unexplained. This knowledge can be attained through an exercise that requires negation of the self in order to understand, or even just get the hang of, the divine. The medium to achieve that is the heart. The heart is the source of love; and love, in common terms, is all about self-effacement and in the process removes all the things that make us double-minded about life.

But the artist doesn’t halt at that point. She wants to investigate the concept of ‘infinite space’ in relation to a transcendental experience as well. According to her statement, “The quest for transcendence to empower mankind through the illumination of consciousness has always been the goal of all traditional societies of the past. Present times have brought a strong sense of alienation, and we are cut off from the voices of our hearts.” That’s the crux of the matter: voice of the heart.

Mind you, all of that happens in circles, in orbits, and Habib feels every orbit has a centre. We just need to reach there.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2018