The power of the bullet is a horrifying reality that has become a part and parcel of our day-to-day existence. In these circumstances, it is not surprising that some artists are portraying the bitter realities of violence in their artwork as it has been commonly believed that artists hold the mirror to a society and reflect the dominant mood. Conversely, many artists cover more pleasant subjects as they believe that at least art should be a thing of beauty and joy rather than be engaged with portraying misery and violence.

However, there are many artists who combine both aesthetics with socio-political symbolism in an attempt to convey a message that reflects their inner anguish, but in a subtle and engaging way. One such artist is Sheraz Faisal.

His recent solo show at Lahore’s Colour Gallery, displaying a variety of mediums, is a continuation of his earlier work exhibited in a four-person show at the Khass Gallery in Islamabad last year. The symbol of the bullet was a recurrent one and he has now carried this further in a somewhat aesthetically different manner. In fact an assortment of materials and methods are experimented with and this in itself engages the viewer because of the diversity of the visual experiences.

It is not, however, an extensive or prolific output of work, as a total of 13 pieces were on display. These included mixed media paintings on paper, wasli, stainless steel and copper plates and digital prints on archival paper. The most eye-catching works were those made in the latter medium, wherein the artist had made use of imagery taken from 15th century art and digitally manipulated these to subtly incorporate symbols of violence, such as the bullet or hand grenade.

The viewer is thus confronted with high resolution, richly coloured prints of the classic renderings of the early Renaissance artists in which Faisal has incorporated his own symbols. Thus one sees Sandro Boticelli’s ‘Birth of Venus’ with a shining missile in its midst and a similar scenario in Lorenzo Lotto’s ‘Enthroned Madonna and Child’, and Lucas van Leyden’s ‘Adam and Eve’ are seen in a garden where the lovely trees are sprouting small grenades rather than luscious apples.

All of these ‘subversions’ are subtly done and in a manner that does not undermine the aesthetic appeal of these images. Combined with the rich and ornate framing of these prints, the overall impact seemed to have attracted the buyers, who will nonetheless be confronted with the narrative of ‘bullet power’ even if in an obtuse or strange way.

Somehow the image of the missile in Lotto’s ‘Enthroned Madonna and Child’ seemed eerily indicative of the recent attacks on the church in Peshawar which killed scores of Christian citizens of Pakistan. This in itself made the imagery rather compelling.

Faisal’s mixed media works incorporating primarily pen and ink and watercolour paint had a minimalistic narrative with the symbol of the bullet being the main focus. The impact of these visuals ranged from engaging, to somewhat feeble and inadequate in painterly excellence. As for the set of small engravings on copper and steel plates incorporating actual bullets and interspersed with subtly rendered figures of Cupids’ with arrows, these were rather original in their impact and indicated a somewhat newer direction for the artist.

The experimental nature of Faisal’s work indicated his quest for new mediums even though the narrative of violence in society continues to dominate. With the much-needed peace apparently nowhere in sight, the artist is likely to have more justification for his chosen theme.