A recent exhibition of quaint street scenes of the picture postcard variety by Fahad Hasan, at VM Gallery, Karachi, was an instant reminder of that period when exhibitions of works pertaining to the Karachi Dockyard, fisheries, old markets/ bazaars, street scenes, heritage architecture and rural landscapes of Malir, Dumlotti, Thatta and Tharparkar areas became popular.

In the ’70s and ’80s, the city was primarily a modern art enclave where the premier Indus Gallery and a handful of other art spaces\galleries were thriving on a strictly abstract menu. There was no appreciation or demand for simple realistically rendered paintings and watercolours of idyllic city/landscapes, dockyards, seascapes and fishing boats, as they did not have the cerebral tease of the avant-garde modernity.

By the ’90s the artscape of Karachi had expanded and diversified. A number of art galleries had sprung up and a variety of art forms came to the fore. Artists from Lahore, Quetta and later Iran, Bangladesh and Nepal were introduced to Karachiites. Audience perceptions changed and the art market also grew. In the meanwhile the city’s water-colourists were gaining ground and making their presence felt through group exhibitions and commissioned works.

Abdul Hayee who initiated the practice of painting ‘on spot’ became popular in galleries for his superb handling of the medium. Hanif Shehzad, a well-known water-colourist, shifted to collage medium and still-life genre but eventually settled for cityscapes of old Karachi as his favoured theme. Perceptive, Ather Jamal from the very outset chose to paint figurative themes set in the slums or katchi abadis but eventually he also added street scenes and historical architecture to his repertoire. Younger entrants like A.Q. Arif and G.N. Qazi also joined the bandwagon. This growth in popularity levels was supported by prolific production. However, among the less committed and skilled, quantity affected quality. Eventually over-production of the familiar and the known led to a glut, and sameness in imagery led to boredom. The accomplished apprising the situation diversified their styles with thematic changes or compositional makeovers to retain their ratings but when the sales graph began to decline and the writing was on the wall — this particular category needed fresh infusions.

Fahad Hasan’s cameos of Karachi’s inner enclaves, resourced from streetscapes of yore, once again reiterated this need for innovation. Referencing the themes, vocabulary and stylistic treatments of earlier genre painters Hasan’s current series titled, Citi escape features street scenes of Light House Chowk, Sabzi Mandi environs, rickshaw stands/ repair workshop and heritage building facades and lanes of old Karachi as well as views of Bhatti Gate Lahore.

The artist opts for direct and realistic depiction of the ordinary and the commonplace with particular attention to pictorial detail and scenic exactness. Bold stippled brushwork and a well-modulated contrast between light and dark areas enable him to create pleasing compositions.

The works have décor value for the average consumer but if the artist desires to elevate the artistic merit of his oeuvre then he needs to hone his drawing and painting abilities. Stiff, wooden figures rob the work of an essential energy that characterises the hustle and bustle of busy street scenes.

Moreover, an underlying knowledge of perspective is necessary when drawing and painting architectural edifices and mapping terrain. But then Hasan is no ordinary artist. For him struggle has a far deeper meaning than the average person as he is coping with the challenge of physical impairments in his daily life.

Educated at the Karachi School of Art, he says, “I was put there by my parents to overcome my physical limitations.” Generally people with speech and hearing problems have difficulty communicating verbally — if they are artists, their art is particularly compelling because the work serves as their ‘voice’. Hasan is one such artist who is exploring his potential through the portals of genre painting and encouraging sales (almost a dozen have been sold) of his paintings also indicate that buyers still have a soft spot for such works.