When one thinks of the simmering outback of Sindh, what comes to mind are the undulating stretches of sand that never seem to end. One such area is the arid desert of Thar, where living species persistently struggle to adapt themselves to the inhospitable environment. The natives of this area are mostly gypsies who have learned to endure the sweltering gusts of sand and make it their idyllic environment.

Ali Abbas, while traveling in his student days, used to observe gypsies in their eye-catching colours, toiling jubilantly despite harsh weather. Casual observation soon transformed into an obsession which initiated the process of painting.

Thereafter, with skilful command of the aqueous medium, he doused the blazing sands with water colours and transformed the arduous way of life of the nomads into remarkable archives of the centuries-old culture. The artist, over a period of time, has painted various tribes, including Bagri, Togis, Koh and Maghwar.

Abbas, a master’s degree holder in painting, exhibited 30 water colour paintings at the Clifton Art Gallery, Karachi. According to the artist, the solo show titled, ‘Dusty wind’ is a manifestation of the lives of the pastoral natives of rural Sindh. The most remarkable feature of these striving rovers of the wild is their unshakable resolve. The artist has portrayed women and children in the paintings and opines that a woman is the focal point in roaming tribes.

Abbas, through his partial monochromatic treatment of subjects, has conveyed the contrast that exists in the lives of those people. Conscious of the environment that is devoid of colour, these women choose to wear gaudy attire laden with motifs and flowers to create a vivacious image which heightens the spirit of family members, friends and visitors.

The artist has captured the bucolic nomads with meticulous accuracy using the sensitive medium of watercolour and has expressed his subjects realistically demonstrating command over human anatomy, which is vital to painting in this genre. The paintings represent various facets of enculturation which is obvious from the typical clothes, jewellery, arm-length bangles and traditional drums. Some of the paintings that are rendered in monochrome bear testament to the artist’s ability to portray the behavioral disposition of the countrified subjects.

The fluid handling of the medium brings out the lively movement in his subjects which give his works a characteristic personal identity. The generous use of space in his compositions not only enhances the subjects but also provides the audience with a visual relief. The artist has utilised bold circular strokes and spatters to emulate the atmosphere of dust and wind which draw the spectators into the vortexes of sand, creating a pleasant empathy.

For the average individual, culture exists at an unconscious level and tends to be so pervasive that it escapes everyday thought. To grant tangibility and to freeze those fleeting moments, Abbas, through his passionate eye, has captured the mood and demeanour of the Thar lifestyle giving it a permanence, which otherwise, cannot be quantified in words.—M.S.Kureshi