One of William Shak­espeare’s most pop­ular quotes, “All the world’s a stage/ And all the men and women merely players,” is a profound reflection on the nature of life. Masooma Syed’s latest body of work, shown at Canvas Gallery in Karachi, seems to be a literal translation of this idea into visual form. This series of works emerges from the artist’s affinity for theatre, and presents a convergence of themes, ideas and experiences in the form of short snippets that contemplate notions of culture and history, life and death, love and war.

The darkened gallery space sets an intimate tone for the show, highlighting each piece on a pedestal lit with its own individual spotlight like performers on stage. The air of theatricality is echoed in the artworks which seem to be scaled-down versions of stage plays. The scenarios are intricately constructed and the artist admits that while a few are based on real life events, most are figments of her imagination, inspired by her travels and experiences.

Masooma Syed uses the language of stage plays to contemplate notions of culture and history, life and death

The way these artworks are constructed creates interest for the viewer, as there is a multiplicity of mediums, techniques, styles and ideas that somehow manage to converge in a visually cohesive display. Each piece is a three-dimensional collage, using both painting and photographs to construct its environment, and plays around with the scale of objects and characters to create a sense of incongruity and absurdity. This is evident in ‘Greys’ which seems to comment on the nature of war, with a large photograph of a Japanese woman as the backdrop to tiny soldiers — almost like a room within a room, providing a view into another world, yet contextualising them within the same narrative.

Another point of interest is the utilisation of the empty alcohol boxes as a medium used for their aesthetic value, while incorporating text into some of the narratives, such as the signs outside a matinée show or within a gallery space. What pushes this even further is the inadvertent interaction of these texts with the scene unfolding within or the space being depicted. ‘Tables are for Moon’, which already reads as a whimsical portrayal showing a traditionally dressed Oriental woman lighting a cigar for a man in contemporary attire, turns even more bizarre when enclosed within logos of Black Label and Governor’s Choice, layering different times, cultures and ideals within one space. In ‘Blue’, what appears to be a mosque is rendered with the branding on alcohol packaging — a forbidden substance in the Islamic faith — creating a dichotomous image that subverts our beliefs and perceptions.

When viewing Syed’s works one is struck by the multiplicity of the imagery which presents an amalgam of religions, cultures, times, emotions and spaces. The artist stresses that she is not making any overarching statements and is just enjoying constructing her little visual narratives, yet the viewer can piece together a plethora of interpretations. Each piece seems to encapsulate a mood, a memory, a moment in time thus becoming a world unto itself. But, there is a theme that moves through each piece, turning each scene into a staged act, and each act into a model of reality, which again brings to mind Shakespeare’s famous quote and raises questions about the legitimacy of our own realities.

“Spirits” was on display at the Canvas Gallery, Karachi, from February 6 till February 15, 2018

Published in Dawn, EOS, March 11th, 2018