KARACHI: It always fills you with hope to see young artists bursting onto the art scene and making their presence felt. Some of the institutions in the country have done a tremendous job in producing and nurturing noteworthy talent. The Indus Valley School (IVS) of Art and Architecture is one of them.

Whenever an event that showcases works created by IVS graduates is held, it generates a great deal of interest among art lovers and practitioners.

In that connection, an IVS alumni show 2022 titled The Protean Place that is under way at the Koel Art Gallery merits a visit.

There are more than a dozen artists whose work is on display, and without an iota of doubt, they impress with their understanding of the spirit of art and the way they put their craft to good use.

The name of the exhibition is a bit of an indicator of the tremendous potential this bunch of young men and women have. The adjective protean means two things: change and versatility. The former is to do with the subject matters that the artists have chosen to express themselves, and are directly related to the rapidly changing socio-political scenarios.

The latter, of course, talks about the variety that these creators opt for while using mediums (oil, acrylic, industrial paint, ink, archival print etc), and the styles they adopt to individualise their art — yes, uniqueness is what we all strive for.

The other significant aspect of the event is the blurring of line between the personal and the impersonal/societal. Be it the role of memory in our lives or dealing with a loss, be it the issue of urbanisation or nature’s connection with spirituality… all bases are covered. It lends depth to the whole effort.

The artists who are taking part in the exhibition are: Afiya Asif, Aisar Abbas, Aliza Ghaffar, Amna Sadiq Feroz, Ariba Akhlaque, Aswad Anees, Bilal Jabbar, Bushra Malik, Hafsa Moin, Inshal Tahir, Mashaal Amjad, Saad Qazi, Sumbal Baloch, Syeda Huda Tirmizi and Umaina Khan.

The show, curated by Nurayah Sheikh Nabi, concludes on May 25.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2022