KARACHI, Feb 1: There was a reason why someone like Pablo Picasso was taken in by ceramics. His visit to a European pottery workshop is known to art lovers, after which the great artist created some brilliant ceramic pieces, now a part of his extraordinary body of work. Therefore there’s hardly any element of surprise when renowned Pakistani artists try and show their talent in that particular field of art and do a worthwhile job.
An exhibition of ceramics, Revelations, opened at the Indus Valley School Gallery on Wednesday. The nine artists whose exhibits are on display are Riffat Alvi, Raania Durrani, Aliya Yusuf, Fahim Rao, Nabahat Lotia, Hameer Soomro, Sara Mahmood, Abeer Asim and Zuna Altaf.
Work done in terracotta has a decent variety, subject-wise, ranging from expression of the self to the poignant realisation of sociopolitical upheavals which have jolted Pakistani society.
Perhaps the most perceptive, not to mention striking, pieces are Riffat Alvi’s. As per the distinguished artist’s statement, she has named one of her pieces Chilman, which is symbolic of the curtain hung to replace a door (or an exit-entry point). It comes across as a labyrinthine human reality, visually mystifying yet identifiable. The viewer knows that the artist is hinting at our inability to see through. This is further clarified in her Home Sweet Home exhibit in which white birds, perched in their niches, appear to be perturbed about what’s happening around them.
Raania Durrani’s installation and diptych are a nice interplay of text and the material she uses to express herself. In herstatement, the artist claims, “These pots also reflect my view on the over-consumption of the earth’s sources.”
But it is her Have Me, Feel Me exhibits inspired by a (rock band) Queen song which the viewer might want to know more about.
Sara Mahmood’s attempt at ‘twisting and pushing’ the stuff she employs to delineate society’s eschewed view of things has a visual appeal to it. The artist knows how important it is to convey a message without compromising on the aesthetics of the material used.
Hameer Soomro’s effort has an earthly, somewhat rustic, feel to it, as should be the case.
The exhibition will continue till Feb 15.
