ISLAMABAD: A solo exhibition of landscape paintings by Salim Ansari, a Lahore-based artist, depicting the rural life of Punjab opened at the Nomad Gallery on Saturday.

The show, titled Meri Mitti, Mera Sona (My Land, My Gold) meticulously depicted the rich landscape of Shekhupura and Muridke on the outskirts of Lahore.

More than 20 works were displayed at the exhibition. In oil on canvas, they featured picturesque green fields, trees, ponds, mud house and buffaloes in a variety of styles blending into the many moods of the sky in the background.

The paintings depict a command over technique, with the colours filling in fluid compositions and changing effects of light. But green with shades of blue and shades of brown in the background depicting twilight are dominant in the paintings.

Mr Ansari uses different mediums. His current body of work is done in oil on canvas and shows the ambiance on the peripheries of Lahore, taking the viewer on a tour of rural life.

“He has used the rich palette of colours and textures building up the vast scene focusing on one central object i.e. tree which always fascinates me,” commented Simon Waley, a lawyer working at the British High Commission.

“It reminds us of our native countryside town in Yorkshire” commented Laura Waley.

Swedish Ambassador Ingrid Johansson said: “The artists has skilfully depicted the real life and landscape of Punjab. The paintings are done so realistically that they seem photographs.”

Mr Ansari’s paintings focus on the colourful, exquisite landscape of Punjab. His strong compositions and bold strokes create a peaceful ambiance that runs through all the artworks, curator Nageen Hyat said.

“The play of light and dark shadows is intriguing and skilfully executed, pleasing to the eye as they grow on the viewer. A rich tapestry of colours reflecting the beauty of nature,” she said.

Abbas Ali, an art teacher at a public sector school in the capital, said the paintings present a complete picture with perfectly depicted details. He complimented Mr Ansari’s intricate detailing, treatment of colour, depth and minute subtleties that make up the larger picture.

“Instead of delving into selective imagery of a place, Ansari paints the whole scene in its true form and feeling,” he said.

Mr Ansari said his work is dictated by the mood of the reality that exists in his surroundings.

His paintings reflect a love for his native land in vivid detail. The settings vary with a transient palette, blending in natural hues in a variety of tones.

“My paintings are an aura of landscape and life,” the artist told Dawn.

The exhibition will continue until Feb 10, every day except Friday.

Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2020