KARACHI: In literature one gets to hear stories paying tribute to the sacrifices that a mother makes for her children in particular and family in general. Maxim Gorky’s novel Mother is a testimony to the claim. In Urdu literature, Indian poet Munawwar Rana wrote a major chunk of his poetry, especially ghazals, in praise of motherhood. However, very seldom does one get to see an exhibition of artworks dedicated to inarguably the most important component in any family structure. It is against this backdrop that a solo show of Abdul Muhammad’s works titled Maa that can be viewed at the Full Circle Art Gallery is of great significance.

But there’s a slight twist here: the artist has used the images of a bird, the hen, to drive his point home. Anyone who has even a modicum of information on how hens protect their chicks would know that they assume a particular posture and spread their wings out to one side. It allows them to look huge. And anyone who will try and disturb the peace of the babies can expect a hostile reaction from their mother.

Abdul Muhammad, through his etchings, woodcut and dry point on paper, screen printing and oil on wasli exhibits, has sensitively and incisively highlighted this aspect of our social life.

With artworks named such as ‘Maa-Bachey’, ‘Love’, ‘Khushi’ and ‘Family’, he has recreated a reality that’s both familiar and praiseworthy but rarely recognised with the kind truthfulness that it deserves.

Now a piece of information about the artist as provided by the gallery to art lovers: “Abdul started working at the Indus Valley School of Art & Architecture (IVS) in 2000 as a canteen server. Gradually, he was inducted into the printmaking department [of IVS] as a technical assistant in 2012, where he continues to work. In 2014, he began to create his own plates and prints, becoming an artist in his own right.”

Isn’t it an inspiring story?

The exhibition concludes on Oct 31.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2021