Senior art show tomorrow
By Dr Munawar Ahmad
A group exhibition is opening on Monday at the EJAZ Galleries, Gulberg. Mostly, the paintings belong to the realistic genre.
Nearly 10 painters are participating along with a ceramist. Realism has always been fascinating and the present exhibition displays a variety of recent works of those painters who are knocking at the door of recognition at the national level.
Regarding landscapes, there have been many styles and techniques in realistic art. Many impressionists had similar subject and yet retained their originality on account of their approach and handling of the medium. Zulgarnain Haider is an artist whose work has to be reviewed in this respect. The spontaneous effects which he produces with the medium he uses (acrylic) are not evident even in the works of famous western painters. To capture the illuminosity of colour and to retain its glow and richness, Zulgarnain's work is admirable.
Other landscape painters on display will be Gulam Mustafa, Nazir Ahmad and Saleem Ansari. Ghulam Mustafa paints life in the Walled City with much fondness. His depiction of Lahore's old architecture and his perception and representation of light is impressive. Nazir Ahmad's sensitive tones, reflecting seasonal changes with an impressionistic touch, are able to produce narrative landscapes.
Saleem Ansari mostly paints in watercolours and has exhibited his recent work of Lahore's important landmarks. Generally speaking, there is an increasing tendency of land scape painters to utilize photographs and depict architecture with photographic detail. When one is not observing nature, one tends to miss natural effects. To have a better perception of light and to paint in normal and natural tones it is imperative to go out and see things on the spot
(the fact that artists like Eduvward Degas and Andrew Wyeth took help from photographs is no excuse).
In figurative art Saeed Akhtar, Colin David, Shahnawaz Zaidi and Rahat Masud have contributed with aplomb. Saeed Akhtar's latest work of a Rajasthani woman with her exquisite pleated attire and her self-consciousness has been
beautifully iconographed. Colin David's human figures are captivating and show his strength of line and composition.
Shahnawaz Zaidi's canvases reflect disparities with a brush heavy with socio-political awareness.
Rahat Masud is adept at creating expression in her figure and in her recent work she seems to have graduated philosophic themes.
Ahmad Khan is a consummate artist and calls his latest work as an "image of faith" which blends art and science. The
result is a canvas of unusual beauty of variegated colour and art calligraphy. RM Naeem is an exponent of surrealism amidst us, there is no doubt about his painting skill and he deals in supernatural themes.
Salman Ikram has made his presence felt by exhibiting individualistic art forms in ceramics. His single idea expressed in a sequence of variations with different glazes is attractive. Overall, it is an impressive collection of the latest work of well known painters and the exhibition will go a long way in popularising art.
DAWN Sunday, November 4, 2001
