KARACHI, Nov 21: Young Izdeyar Setna sprang a surprise on many who went to his exhibition of photographs at Canvas Art. They were closer to paintings than to photography in the traditional sense of the word because most of the images have painterly quality. They are not manipulated and no photograph has even been opened in a photo workshop.

One would have thought that some of the images, particularly the landscapes, were shot in the US, but the fine arts graduate of the Parsons School of Design, New York, insists that they were all created in Pakistan.

Looking at his larger images one cannot help admire the movements captured by Setna in his works on display. He moves his camera in different ways and in different directions. It needs control and precision to achieve that kind of success, and to say that he has both in ample measure is to state the very obvious.

“Unlike most artists who use paints and brush, I use the camera”, he said. But what he didn’t say is that unlike a painter who has to work in one frame, a photographer can take many shots and finally decide on the best one. For this kind of work a digital camera, which dispenses with the costly photographic film, is a big boon. However, he soon clarifies “You can’t compare photography with painting. It’s like comparing apples with oranges. They are two different art-forms.”

He is also exhibiting smaller images in what he has termed the ‘String series’, and explains to his viewers how he shot them. The first in the series is ‘Jesus on a string,’ where there is a hint of a human being tied to a cross. Also in the same series is ‘Boy meets girl,’ which comprises paper cuttings suggesting the couple. The seven miniature pictures, which show the interplay of light and colours, seem to this writer more craft than art, which luckily is not the case with his larger compositions.

The ones that tug at your heartstrings are the two images of mothers and their children. Also very appealing are the surrealistic images of ships moored at Gadani. As art enthusiast Saqib Hanif aptly put it, his landscapes are reminiscent of Turner’s paintings.

“Art collectors are scared of investing in photographs because they fear that they may end up spending on images which may not be unique. But I have assured my buyers that they would not find them adorning anyone else’s walls. They may appear in my portfolio. But that’s about all,” said Izdeyar Setna. The fact that they trust him is reflected in the fact that before the end of the first day of the show, all the exhibits were sold. Those who came later missed the bus. A point to remember is that the pieces were not, by any chance, sold for a song.

The exhibition at Canvas will end on the 29th.