Sana Dar’s solo exhibition ‘Life in Colour’ at Islamabad’s 8B2 Gallery is a celebration of the duality and complexity of life, expressed in vivid, pure colours.

We’re immediately struck by the juxtaposition of intricate detail and a wild, free expressionism in her work. Geometric paper, painstakingly hand-cut, gives us structure to backgrounds and skies, crisscrossing the (sometimes metaphorical) canvas like branches of a tree — intricate, precise and repetitive.

Layered on to this are spontaneous, textured and dramatic paint expressions, mirroring the fractal nature of the cut-outs, but with the randomness of natural fractals — wet paint pressed to wet paint and pulled apart gives the same natural geometry as a retreating wave leaves on the sand.

We see that the artist is exploring the nature of complementary opposites — like the light and the dark, sunset and sunrise, two forces that work together to make each other better, richer, more impactful.

As Dar puts it, “The theme of duality in my work explores my experience and emotional understanding of opposing forces that have always existed around us… It’s not the same as polarity, which talks about extremes. I’m commenting on concepts that need their opposite to exist and am trying to understand how to best balance and live in harmony with them.”

A recent exhibition in Islamabad combined precision and a sense of colourful spontaneity to striking effect

Dar further explains that, through her work, there’s a certain comfort with duality, but through her art she’s also trying to find more balance in her life: “I prefer the night and find the moon more charming than the sun — it’s quiet and calm, and there is something about this time that gets my creativity flowing. I have, however, made my peace with the day and the sun. I understand that the mind and body require warmth and light to thrive.”

Similarly, she is combining her genetic duality in her work – fine, precise and clinical cutting, inherited from her surgeon father; spontaneous, expressive and free-form colour from her artist mother.

As a whole, the experience of the works is a meditative one as we’re drawn into the canvas. The richness of the colours — deep blues, greens and pops of yellow and red — creates a vibrancy that is pleasing. As we stand further back, we’re almost expecting scenes to appear à la Monet and his Water Lilies, but instead we’re seeing a calm balance of colour, form and texture.

Dar also introduces an element of light into her work through glass-sandwiched frames, equally striking from both sides, hanging almost like a portal into a different dimension. Similarly, over 30 specially made light-box frames showcase a cascade of colourful paintings that truly comes to life when the lights are on, with each functioning as a unique piece.

Overall, we come away from the show with a pertinent reminder that duality and opposition don’t have to mean polarity and extremism. Like opposites on a colour wheel, sometimes our differences can help each other to shine, rather than being a cause for disharmony. A reminder the world could sorely use today.

‘Life in Colour’ was on display at 8B2 Gallery in Islamabad from April 11-May 7, 2026

The writer is an Australian based in Pakistan. She is an avid enthusiast of contemporary Pakistani art and culture

Published in Dawn, EOS, May 10th, 2026