Islamabad Eye-catching paintings by A S Rind, M Hussian Chandio and Natalia Kakar await public appreciation at Gallery Louvre, which an art exhibition by the trio — the gallery’s first group show in Islamabad — opens today (Wednesday) under the title ‘I am a Woman.’ Given his Saraiki background, A S Rind derives inspiration from the rich culture of Balochistan. His paintings carry a strong cultural influence of the area and are deeply influenced by regional aesthetics, splendour, colours, motifs and jewellery. Born in 1960 in Rahimyar Khan, Rind is a talented artist holding a four-year diploma from the Karachi Arts Council. He had been painting since 1984 and has participated in over 30 national and international exhibitions. His latest work involves the use of oil on canvas. Experimenting with colours, Rind has given effects of embossing and carving to his paintings. He has captured the faces and moods of women of his native land Rahimyar Khan. He shows them adorned elegantly with ethnic jewellery in distinctive styles. Rind has used verses of Faiz Ahmed Faiz to emphasise the mood and expression of the stylised women he paints. “Cholistan, Thar and Rajasthan are what influence my paintings, and it is mainly the colours and moods of those areas that I enjoy depicting,” says Rind, who has found his niche in the figurative style after having tried his hand at impressionism, cubism and abstract painting. The women in his paintings are voluptuous and wide-eyed, with elongated necks, often embellished and adorned with ethnic ornaments. He uses symbols like parrot, rose and fish to create mystique, romance and charisma. According to Saleem Lalani, the curator of Louvre art, “Rind is a permanent feature of Louvre Karachi, where his work has thrice been exhibited. It was only natural for him to be part of our first group show, now that we are in Islamabad.” The other artist whose work has been included in the show is M Hussain Chandio, a talented artist from Jamshoro. Chandio keeps practicing with a variety of mediums and techniques in a contemporary fashion. This time around, he has used a unique dot art technique to create a collection titled ‘Sundar Chahra.’ Up-close, the paintings appear like abstract art, but seen from a distance, a very clear formation of a face in a very tight frame becomes visible. Chandio carefully crops close-up faces, mostly of rural women, and develops the form with debs of colour in small grids and circles, which are meticulously outlined with a darker tone. These darker tones are then weaved together, creating an expression in the portrait. This is a unique feature of his work. “Everything created by God is beautiful. Sometimes, the beauty of life stops us in our tracks; we are arrested by it. The faces of our loved ones possess such enormous beauty. In my humble way, I try to capture this beauty on my canvases,” Chandio stated. Chandio’s art inspiration comes from the poetry of Faiz Ahmed Faiz. According to the artist, “The matchless beauty of the human face is what Faiz once proclaimed to be uncontrollable. My basic inspiration comes from Faiz’s poetry. He makes the faces important with his words. I humbly try to create faces, hoping they would become immortal through my efforts.” Natalia Kakar’s paintings reflect the features of the state of Moldova, where she was born and educated. Just as Moldova is a hub of Asian and European culture, so too is her art. Titled ‘Myths and Beauty,’ the collection unleashes the artist’s fantasies in sketches of pen and pencil on paper. Her fantasy goddess wears different faces, from Greek myths to eastern bride, but her European art school education reveals itself in every line. According to Natalia, “Goddess myths have inhabited the human imagination and spirit for thousands of years, representing the eternally feminine qualities that pattern women’s lives. Each of the goddess myths is different just as each goddess is unique-motivated by different values and priorities. Each has goddess-given characteristics, both positive and potentially problematic ones. What I do is draw them on paper.” In some pieces, she has used multiple ink colour while others are single ink and pencil sketches. Her work transports you to a dream world. The exhibition will continue till at House no. 8, Street 41, F-6/1, till November 14.
