“Dance of the body only raises dust,

When soul dances it can shake the universe”

-Rumi

Documenting the world of aesthetic joy, Khalid Khan, in his show titled: Oscillations, celebrates the spiritual journey, the bodies lost in a tantalising trance, burning from inside; alluring and charming. Executed with deadpan sincerity, they are evocative, melancholy and magical yet intangible. Also known as Kaay, the artist has to his credit solo painting exhibitions in Germany and Pakistan. His work has been displayed in Franace, Germany, Spain and UK. These days, he resides in London.

Enjoying the journey towards the unknown celestial path, Khan, like other contemporary artists, explores the concept of how viewers experience an artwork and invites them to become part of the artwork itself. He says, “My paintings are the result of an OERB (obsessive, experimental and restless behavior). Through my pieces, I hope to invoke feelings that remain in the viewer’s mind.”

Circular or spiral movement in daring colours is a recurrent element in Khan’s canvases. His portrait, Baba Karim, reveals an ecstatic merge with the movement of a tantalising rhythm or thaap. Enjoying and exploring the whirling pool of spiritual journey, the viewer is invited to join in the strange alchemy of imagination.

Burning on the inside, the dervish moves and dances in awe; producing an oscillation that is tantalising and enthralling. The use of greens, along with the stark bold black background, creates a vibrant effect. The use of chiaroscuro and realistic representation of details and folds of the drapery are exuberant. The folds drawn on the forehead of Baba Karim depict fusion of vibrancy and serenity paired with chaos. The canvas gives the feeling that the rhythm is about to accelerate and that the figure will soon be whirling faster. In that attempt, it might enter a trance to lose its personal identity and eventually attain union with the Almighty.

In the canvas titled Sufi there is an implied eye-line that suggests that the figure is looking ahead, provoking movement of the figure toward whatever is ‘seen’ in the distance. The drama is created by celestial light; pure and mystic, in the form of smoke emitting from the cigarette the dervish is holding in his hand.

In the canvas titled Sufi, there is an implied eye-line that suggests that the figure is looking ahead, provoking movement of the figure toward whatever is ‘seen’ in the distance. 

The artist keenly observes the details. His relentless effort to capture the expression in the eyes is remarkable. The dervish’s gaze in his Malang canvases captures the attention of the viewer and relates a story that goes without saying. The use of a studio-like effect has given the canvas a serene and personal feel.

The artist took a lot of inspiration from diverse facial structures and choosesan array of colors along with bold yet meaningful strokes, in order to achieve the emotions.

The chiaroscuro effect in his all kathak dance canvasses is exuberant. In the canvas titled ‘Kathak Moves 01’, the figures symbolize a sense of forward progress, speed, and determination in dancing and swirling on the music. There are many elements that imply movement, eg the use of emotionally charged brush strokes, the exaggerated length of the figure’s stride, therhythmic and graceful movement of hands and the tilt of the head as if mused with the soft tunes. Khan translates the intricate movements of Kathak dance into abstract and expressive visualization and in the process explores the relationship between colours and lines to create harmony and the swirlingflows.

Inspired by the form of dance and music the artist explores the immediacy of gestures and movements through use of emotionally charged strokes. The monochrome background intensifies the luminosity and dynamics of the dancing figures painted with bold vibrant red, blue and green hues. The solidarity of the dance group, mesmerized by the rhythmic tunes and dancing together in unstrained manner can be felt by the viewer.He beautifully captures the expressiveness, spontaneity and elegance of human body on his canvas.

In the painting, Malang8, the oscillation in time is represented as the grand culmination of a humble man’s life. Portrayed in his old age, it has references to the passage of time throughout his life. Lost in a tantatalising trance, it depicts and mocks the meaning of life beyond what is visible in the physical world around us. It’s an ode to life and its untold stories.

The use of luminous colours gives a dream–like, sensual feel to Khan’s canvases, which are a treat to explore. The show started on March 12 at Ejaz Art Gallery, Lahore.

The writer is an artist and educationist, based in Lahore