This week You! takes a look at the recently held exhibition at Chawkandi Art Gallery, featuring artworks by various artists…
art
The beautiful aspect about human beings is their potential to change and grow and the world which we live in is intricately interlinked to the extent that a tiny stir can impact a significantly larger and more complex system. This notion stems from Edward Lorenz’s theory, suggesting that one small action, like the mere flap of a butterfly’s wing can lead to wildly differing consequences, which could also be chaotic. “We live in an interconnected, or rather a hyper-connected society,” states Breuer, an Austrian physician. We directly face the consequences of decisions set in the motion long ago; just as the butterfly effect theory demonstrates that tiny acts produce elaborate patterns, similarly, artists hold power to drive societal shifts, to stir emotions, instil beliefs and change lives.
In this regard, the recently concluded exhibition ‘In the tiniest stir’, curated by Robella Ahmed, transcends time and space, conveying experiences and prompting contemplation between connections of previous and present realities. It aims to leave the viewer with an innate yearning for individual agency compelling them to acknowledge the profound influence of their own actions. In doing so, the artworks magnify the intricate interconnectedness that binds all of humanity together.
This week You! takes a look at the recently held exhibition at Chawkandi Art Gallery, featuring artworks by various artists…
An Iranian Visual Artist currently based in Munich, Germany, Marjan Baniasadi’s work showcased oil on linen, reverting to her true style of working on fabric representing her roots and her passion. She believes Persian carpets are not only commodities but are mobile living objects capable of listening and recording the time. Through the shades, patterns and textures of rugs, she seemed to combine,
connect and investigate their different forms of expression and transformed them into modes of her personal stories.
Graduated with a distinction in Miniature Painting from National College of Arts, Lahore, Asif Ahmed has participated in a number of solo and group shows, locally and internationally. Transforming traditional image was central to his practice, and guided his work with iconography derived from traditional historical miniatures. Ahmed exploited these images as a medium for transformation, creating a new form of visual expression altogether. Juxtaposing old with new, tradition with unknown, he confronted the nature of exploitation of traditions and culture throughout history.
Fascinated by Archaeology, Museums and Antique Pieces, Rahat Ali is an avid collector of old coins and Postal stamps. After 10 years of being an ardent reader, he was introduced to a variety of Art and Literature. His art presented at the display was a drawing that is unique, absurd and familiar. The more you looked at it, the more it unravelled right before your eyes. The art was poetic and profound. It reminded you of tales that you might have heard from your dadi or nani.
A visual artist who graduated with a distinction, Hamza Bin Faisal’s work spans different media and material, ranging from digital art to traditional drawing, miniature painting, printmaking, sculpture and photography. His work aimed at exploring the self, the existence, and multiple visual allegories about ethical and social dilemmas. Hamza skilfully evoked a sense of nostalgia and prompted contemplation about the deeper layers of meaning inherent in his paintings. His versatile art speaks to the viewer, in more ways than one.
An artist from Quetta, Syed Muhammad Khayyam alias M Khayyam, explored the inevitable process of deterioration, the passage of time, and the rich narratives embedded in history. From an early age, he exhibited his artistic talent, captivating audiences with their unique blend of mediums, including drawing, painting, sculpture, illustration, large-scale installations, and calligraphy. His creations evoked a profound contemplation of ephemeral nature of existence, unravelling layers of meaning hidden within the past.
A Pakistani Contemporary artist, Mirza Zeeshan Hussain works in various mediums including; drawing, painting, miniature painting, and sculpture. His work has been really personal to him, which he feels caters to the reality of all humans encircling this world. He used soft toys in his work at the exhibition to represent the vulnerable nature of humans. His art had a dark quality to it which led the viewer into a thought-process that is gloomy yet captivating.
A young Pakistani contemporary artist, Irfan Channa’s work revolves around wonders and mysteries of nature which connect with human memory locally. He works in various mediums including; drawing, painting, sculpture and photography. His graphite artworks provided a direct semblance to the lyricism of poetry and fineness of a visual artist. For him, poetry becomes a medium through which he revisits his spatial memories before translating them onto paper, a process that is much like the summoning of music but with his pencil’s strokes. Referring to Urdu poets such as Khaled Iqbal, Juan Eliya, Kalim Khan and Ali Qasim, he conjured up his memories of a not-so-forgotten past, into landscapes that translated written verses into a visual, introspective dialogue.
Over many years of constant research and innovation, Abid Aslam developed his independent art style with a critical debate on contemporary art. He has widely exhibited his works nationally and internationally. His work titles ‘Undying III’ was showcased on reflective punching tools in silver paper and gold leaf. He currently works and lives in Lahore.
Arslan Farooqi is a Pakistani contemporary artist who studied at The National College of Arts, Lahore in Pakistan, where he was taught the traditional discipline of Indo-Persian miniature painting. He works in various mediums including; drawing, painting, sculpture, animation, large-scale installation and video. His approach to miniature is rather unique and outside of sparking immediate interest, is engaging, entertaining, intelligent, and progressive. He used consciousness as a main element in his visual philosophy. His visuals were complex and it takes a close examination to see the assembly of individual components. In most of his visuals, birds represented dynamics of a community, its hierarchies, and the way the system works.
