ISLAMABAD: An exquisite exhibition of paintings by two senior artists opened at Nomad Gallery on Thursday.

The exhibition titled Phenomena is a blend of traditional and contemporary elements, tone, texture and imageries and their understanding of the complex human psyche and history.

The artworks of Samina Ali Akhtar and Masood A. Khan are juxtaposed but with common elements of layered imageries and powerful compositions.

“While working with different ideologies - historic and contemporary - and techniques, the surface treatment and narrative of both the artists has a shared heritage and complexity of human psychology,” commented Nageen Hyat, curator and director of the gallery.

A senior artist and visiting professor at art institutes in Pakistan, she experiments different techniques of vasli making, preparation of pigments. Her latest body of works, comprising 15 large paintings done in acrylic, mix media collage, is a beautiful depiction ofMughal-era spaces, buildings, courts and images.

“My paintings especially the gold and silver leaf with rough texture portray the decaying building heritage and civilisation,” she said.

“Her style of miniature painting with calligraphy is aesthetically powerful composition reflecting historical splendor,” commented poet Ilona Yusuf.

She went on to say that Samina Ali has a lot of things to play with on the canvas. She has skillfully experimented miniature with architecture creating her own identity.

Prof Tasneem Abbas, former head of the fine arts department, Govt College for Women, Rawalpindi, said: “Samina Ali’s work is exceptionally unique in technique and theme. She has beautifully created the images and fantasy about a bygone era which fascinates me a lot.”

She regretted that such artists are fading now and there seems to be a status quo and decline in every sphere of life including art and literature.

After doing her masters in fine arts with distinction from the Punjab University in 1987, Samina Ali wanted to learn music but the destiny had carved a different path for her.Sharing the story of her journey with

Dawn, she said: “I am a rebel and wanted to break the established rules in art. Printmaking was my major subject and I practiced it in the early period of my profession. One of my print works was selected for display at the National Art Gallery. However, I wanted to do something different and it was in 1990 when I was selected among seven senior architects to execute a challenging task of revival and conservation of the interior design of Lahore Fort.

Samina Ali also did the interior designing of Serena Hotel Islamabad with noted architect Nayar Ali Dada on the request of Prince Amin Mohammad, younger brother of Prince Karim Aga Khan.

She made over 200 paintings and are on display at the hotel. Painting Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poetry, notably poem Tanhai, was something close to my heart.A recipient of Quaid-i-Azam Gold Medal, she did her diploma in art appreciation and criticism from Columbia University, a programme associated with the Metropolitan Museum of Art, US. She has participated in over a dozen solo and group exhibitions in the country and abroad since 1989.

Masood Khan’s 11 paintings done in acrylic, ink and gouache on paper is a continuation of his past appearances at various galleries in Pakistan and abroad.

“At each appearance he adopts a new vocabulary to paint the essence of truth with lines and layers,” said the curator.

The artist from Karachi works in water-colour and mix medium. However translucency is his trade mark as, according to the curator, transparency is the quintessence of naked reality, and it remains constant on his surfaces. With a blend of feelings he expresses reality around through realism combining modernism.

“In the remote recesses of his subconscious lies an effort to create a spiritual climate that touches the heart. He feels a new liberty when the beauty of every form is clear, visible and not overlapping each other,” Ms Hyat commented.

He doesn’t need to distort the naturalistic forms as done in cubism or other isms of art.

The show will continue through Oct 20 daily except Fridays from 11am to 7pm.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2019