It is the art of the primitive Neanderthals, dating back 40 millenniums, found in caves such as El Castillo in northern Spain, which substantiates the species’ intrinsic urge to communicate and document the environment. Later, what was initiated as landscapes in frescos in Minoan Greece (1500 BC), saw numerous transformations, particularly in the recent centuries.
Landmark painters from John Constable, Camille Corot, Paul Cézanne to Vincent van Gogh recorded their personal visual experiences which the generations will continue to cherish forever. On the indigenous front, masters like Ustad Allah Baksh, Khalid Iqbal, Ghulam Rasool and Zulqarnain Haider have given permanence to the constantly changing seasons and vegetation of the country. Proficient painters of the region like Jamini Roy, M.F. Husain, K.S. Kulkarni, F.N. Souza and S.H. Raza also contributed profusely to this genus.
To reiterate the importance of landscape painting, Hanif Shehzad, originally a civil engineer and a watercolourist, with decades of experience in landscape painting brought a set of 25 oil paintings to the Chawkandi Art Gallery, Karachi. Campaigning for the significance of Karachi’s architecture and its heritage, the artist emphasises that these buildings are the city’s identity; if not consciously preserved, they would eventually decay and vanish.
The works of Shehzad are extremely popular among the settled communities of Karachi because of the love the latter has developed for areas of the old city such as Burns Road, Kharadar and Denso Hall, etc. The families who have migrated abroad are also keen to fetch paintings of Karachi because they hold this city close to their hearts. Apart from the nostalgic impact of these portrayals, Karachi has its charismatic ambience that the natives can never dispel. Painters, with their unique perception enhance the allure of the scenes and structures further, based purely on an aesthetic appraisal. To bring out the true character and grandeur of a building such as the majestic Mohatta Palace or the imposing Empress Market is not only Shehzad’s speciality but also his foremost obsession. He fervently endeavours to reveal the saga that is concealed behind the aging architectural facades, their environment and, most importantly, the people.
The paintings titled, ‘Old window’ and ‘The arch’ have been handled with precision for the strokes that define the detailed stone walls, pavement, wooden structures and customary grills punctuated with domestic paraphernalia. Just short of realism of the Dutch painters, these paintings abundantly boast the artist’s nimble brushwork and an exquisite choice of palette. It is not just the accurate placement of objects or the overall composition, but it is the aesthetic finesse that Shehzad has achieved through his seasoned visual appreciation and rich physical exposure to en plein air painting.
Indulging in the daunting portrayal of night scenes is the artist’s major feat which is generously demonstrated through the passionately chosen locations. Shehzad applies impulsive strokes to the canvas inducing contemplative splendour, arresting lucent glow as it interacts with the dusk transforming radiance into a soothingly tangible component. Negotiating the illusory chiaroscuro of the dark hours is but for a few artists who have the courage to probe into the effects of unnatural light.
To define the precariously reflected light in the already complex night scene further compounds the challenge which Shehzad has braved with utter success. The painting titled, ‘Dusty night’, highlights yet another strong ability of the artist to portray the visible atmosphere during silent hours, which is dust and haze in this case. The viewer immediately connects to the scene for its familiar buildings and roads and vicariously savours a pleasant déjà vu, and of course, with a tinge of nostalgia!
A believer of the painter’s prerequisite for traditional skills, Shehzad paints with a solemn demeanour without the frivolousness of a young over-ambitious fledgling or a laid-back senior painter. While seriously inclined to conserve heritage the artist continues to accord maturity to his work, which in turn, fortifies his niche as a reckonable emerging national landscape painter.