KARACHI: When Indian writer Arundhati Roy, the author of the Booker prize winning novel The God of Small Things, became involved in local politics, raising her voice for the underprivileged (as everyone should), her admirers liked it. But when her second novel The Ministry of Utmost Happiness came out, some of her fans thought: activism’s gain is literature’s loss. This remains debatable, though. The remarkable thing about the renowned painter Mian Ijaz ul Hassan is that despite his strong political views — his struggle for democracy is well documented — he never allowed his art, which is the appreciation and search for beauty, to take a back seat. His paintings still warm the cockles of art lovers’ hearts.

An exhibition of Hassan’s works titled Reality Revisited is currently underway at the Canvas Art Gallery. It is a fantastic show! It has an array of the seasoned artist’s works that impress both with its visual grace and contextual leanings.

He says he spent a large part of his childhood visiting his maternal village Sanda Kalaan, situated on the banks of the river Ravi just outside Lahore, which brought him in close reach of nature in its wild state. That’s the key of him being such a brilliant painter. Hassan is well-versed in western art, eastern craft and world literature, but his rootedness to the soil that he emerged from imparts verisimilitude to his creativity — which is essential in order for any masterful creative work to have the kind of impact that gives it multiplicity of meaning.

In that connection, as far as the ongoing display goes, the untitled series (oil on canvas) must be mentioned. The intensity that the paintings exude give off a sociopolitical vibe that Hassan’s work is known for, and at the same time, the slightly expressionist touch to the non-figurative subjects, with soft but firm brushstrokes makes for awesome as well as awe-inspiring viewing. This is not always easy to describe. [Just look at the artwork and marvel at it.] Here’s a master at work: convey the message, but don’t deprive the viewer of the power and beauty of art.

The exhibition will conclude on Thursday (tomorrow).

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2024