KARACHI: There are many definitions of love, and all of them can be debated on. One of them is: an intense feeling of deep affection. The operative word here is ‘feeling’. Feelings are intangible. And all those things that can’t be touched defy definite definitions simply because they lack the very important visual element. An exhibition of artist Nazia Ejaz’s artworks titled Scriptures of Love that’s underway at the Canvas Art Gallery is a fine example of how the visual aspect of our lives helps us get the hang of complicated subjects.

The most astounding feature of the display is the wide variety of ideas that Nazia has come up with to touch upon a single topic. It goes to show the enormous importance that she attaches to it. For example, there are pieces such as ‘Shadow Dancing 2’ (oil, gold leaf on canvas) that examine the intangibility of things through readily identifiable shapes. Yet, the mystery abounds… even with shapes that brim with meaning.

She then swiftly moves from the general to the specific (or personal) with the titular series ‘Scriptures of Love’. The recurring interlinked somewhat scribbling pattern, with a blue base, indicates the complexity of a hard-to-express emotion. That is the difference — between emotion and feeling — which artists find extremely engaging to course through. Sometimes interest in other forms of expression such as poetry makes that journey all the more fruitful.

In her statement, Nazia writes: “The basis of my work is the idea of connection and separation. How individuals perceive and relate to the environment and people. The last couple of years have been difficult, all over the world. Yet, at the same time, it allowed time for introspection, and this body of work expresses some of what remains precious. The use of repetition as a meditative tool within my practice is an attempt to break down conscious thought about a subject through repetition to a point where the process and materials allow access to more profound knowledge about the subject.”

Profundity and art — what an intriguing combination!

The exhibition concludes on Nov 25.

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2021