KARACHI: When a group of artists exhibit their work, more often than not, there is a thread that connects them or runs through by virtue of a theme. If there is a marked variation in the quality of work(s), it can prove terribly off-putting. If they find themselves on the same creative, if not intellectual, wavelength (knowingly or unwittingly) the display succeeds to grab the attention of art aficionados.
An exhibition of different artists’ works titled Summerscape 2012 opened at the Koel Gallery on Thursday. A decent variety of paintings, photographs and sculptures are on display. Though they fall under the rubric of summerscape, some of them defy it and go beyond the seasonal limit, and understandably so. For example, Aqeel Solangi’s acrylic-and-graphite-on-paper and ink-and-graphite-on-paper pieces cannot be confined to one particular spell in time. The vastness of things, inanimate as well as natural, depicts life in a larger context. His skill makes the paintings look as vivid as a dream.
Tehmina Ahmed’s photography rests heavily on the interesting use of light. It appears that the artist does not like to completely give away her subjects. She leaves a lot to the viewer to discover what she’s felt while grabbing images. The pictures range from a bunch of folk singers to a dusky seaside, and all of them are aesthetically pleasing.
On the other hand Ayesha Vellani makes things clear as day for the viewer. There is a remarkable image of a timeworn foot (probably of a labourer) on which a dust-laden chappal is loosely put with his equipment at the other end of the grab, is a work of art. It is realism with a sense of purpose.
Mussarat Mirza is an established name. A couple of the artist's oil-on-canvas exhibits are delightful study of the fuzziness that life can sometimes enshroud a sensitive individual in.
Farina Alam’s photo-etching pieces, Abdul Jabbar Gul’s sculpture, Laila Rehman’s etching and aquatint exhibit, Ali Azmat’s painting and Aliya Bilgirami’s work too are worth marveling at.
The exhibition will remain open till the month of August.
