KARACHI, Sept 8: It is indeed a heartening sign that young Pakistani artists are creating art which does not seem to be influenced by elements that can affect their originality. Originality is the key, as the cliché goes, to carving a niche in the world of art. It implies genuineness of thought and being truthful to technique. An interesting group show titled Diversity, which commenced at Commune Artist Colony on Saturday, vindicates the observation that there is no dearth of talent in Pakistan.

Fariya Zaeem impresses with her extravagant use of colours. She employs them both as the medium and the message. The explosion of colours can be interpreted by having a look at the titles that the artist has given to her works. The first one is called ‘Into the Womb’ (mixed media). Then comes ‘Soul Swimming’, followed by ‘Coral Island’ and an ‘An Oasis of Calm’. All of them have a certain ‘swirling’ feel to them, which is perhaps what the artists wanted to draw the viewer’s attention to. The one title that is a tad confusing is ‘Rapture of Ecstasy’. In a manner of speaking, rapture and ecstasy are synonymous words. Could it be that the artist wished to show diversity in sameness?

‘Siyah Qalam 1’ by Naureen Rasheed is an imaginative work of art. She is clearly influenced by miniaturists. The impression of web or a network with the help of black lines is symbolic in many ways. It shows the interconnectivity of different elements of existence as well as their convolution, depending on the viewer’s state of mind.

Sikandar Asghar’s ceramic work touches on the Islamic geographic patterns. According to him, he has tried to show the oneness of God. All lines converge at one place and indicate that oneness.

Nida Syed’s exhibits speak about the psychological aspect of life which more often than not is a result of some kind of physical strife. Her paintings have a powerful emotive side to them. She keeps it simple, which gives an edge to her effort.Sara Baloch’s ‘Transition’ series is up there with the rest, equally noteworthy. The word ‘synecdoche’ comes to mind after viewing her work.

The exhibition will continue till Sept 15.