KARACHI: We live in a time where coexistence has become both an irony and a blessing –– when we are asked to confine ourselves to our homes, justifiably so, to keep others and ourselves safe. Though some people believe that there is no such thing as coincidence in life and we only take part in foreordained events, Tazeen Qayyum’s latest exhibition titled Cover the Same Ground that was held recently at the Canvas Gallery, zeroes in on a subject that’s current and relevant. Of course, interpretation is a matter of perception because, after all, all works of art emerge out of deep personal experiences.

A note from critic Amra Ali highlights that Tazeen’s artworks refer to the complexities of who the artist is, or where she is in the interface of a transformative global community; and that her work contains one of the most compelling aspects of her larger narrative: the coexistence of the beautiful with the disturbing or banal. Tazeen herself expands on the idea in a different way: “Since 2002 the cockroach motif has evolved where it … examines the ideas of fear, anxiety and death manifested into a playful language of real or perceived threats. “

This is an extremely interesting line of thinking. They say negative and positive forces in the world have always existed side by side, proving each other’s counterforce. The artist pits the beautiful against the banal, which means that to her beauty is not a static thing. It has visual energy which is animated (as in lively) by nature. This is evident from exhibits such as the series ‘In Circles’ (looped animation). It is a good

example of the energy that not only pushes the subject to move along, but at the same time the movement indicates a voyage where everyone is together — be it our aesthetic growth or our perfunctory patterns.

In the midst of it all is Tazeen’s tremendous eye for detail. She is a rare creative artist whose craft and the choice of subject matter go wonderfully together. So much so that at times it becomes difficult to decide which outshines which. The thing that’s crystal clear, though, is her focus on coexistence. And that’s what counts most.

The exhibition concluded recently.

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2020