ISLAMABAD, Dec 8: Modern sculpture has been described as studies in light, space and nature with a flair to present social order in them. Wassan Khurshid is, perhaps, the leading exponent of this concept in Pakistan.

His exhibition of 49 wooden, 15 stone-rock sculptures opened at the Alliance Francaise on Wednesday. They are studies in form and anatomy of well shaped female figures displaying a kind of suppleness which instantly attracts the beholder.

Among them are 17 wooden sculptures which are large enough to occupy open spaces and gardens. They have quaint names such as Divine Love, Woman behind Man, Slave Women, Widow, Eternal Duality, Widow, Zenith, Song of Love, New Freedom etc.

All are exposed bodies showing bare bust with oblong heads devoid of carvings of eyes lips or nose. However, one sculptured piece called Madonna is different: it is clothed in robes and the head is covered with a shawl.

It is not only the quaint and romantic names of the sculptured pieces but the head, the bust, the waist and the base which are of particular interest to art enthusiast. They convey the story of intense labour by Wassan during carving.

Instead of asking some important person to inaugurate it the Alliance Francais quite appropriately left it to the artist to explain his art to a large number of guests.

Khurshid Wassan said his first concern was to give shape to carved figures. Everything that existed must have a shape, and that in his imagery these were things in horizon as unsung melody.

He had carved the pain of the existence and beauty in these objects which convey a number of moods, including joy, sorrow, and surrealist touches which had been inspired by Sigmund Freud and Eric Fromm's psychological studies. These carvings express freedom of the human mind.

As for his rock studies of human heads Wassan said he lived at Jhand village in Attock district. He gathers rocks from the river flowing alongside the village and he saw human figures reflected in these rocks. He works only perfunctorily on them.

He had been inspired by the great musician Khurshid Anwar and Khan Abdul Ghani and also by one Hassan Naeem, he said. Wassan sought international platform for his work in Europe and elsewhere because "there is a message of love in them and every human place is a place of love", as he put it in his opening speech.

Misbahuddin, deputy director of Pakistan National Council of Arts, who is currently sponsoring regular sculpting classes, said the main attraction was the anatomy and the beautiful manner in which it had been carved into female figures on wood.

He described Wassan as the "most illustrious sculptor of the present times". Painter Rashid who is famous for illustrating the panoramic beauty of Islamabad, said there was rhythmic quality in the carved figures done by Wassan.

He took a single trunk of wood and used pattern carving with spectacular effect. The curator of the Alliance Francais Nabeela said Wassan selected each wooden piece with care and used one single tree for each carving to leave them in the sun to dry, and to acquire the right colour texture for three years. One visitor to the exhibition, Mr Durrani commented that Wassan's sculptures reminded him of art objects he had seen in Senegal.