Bend in the SCAPES
Bend In The Scapes November 28, 2012 - January 8, 2013
Bend in the Scapes Ivan Joern | Mughees Riaz | Hanif Shahzad | Ali Abbas | Raja Najam-ul-Hassan Abid Khan | Ajab Khan | Mishaal Rinch Satrang Gallery is proud to present Bend in the Scapes, featuring a panoply of eight gifted and observant artists who welcome their viewers into the picturesque worlds they have portrayed.
Zahra Khan Curator
Asma Rashid Khan Director
Bend in the Scapes exhibits a collection of paintings which imbibe the beauty found in mankind’s natural habitat, peregrinating from the urban to the rural; these paintings thus also lend a visual canvas for social and anthropological analysis. Representing the countryside of far off Sweden to Pakistan’s throbbing city of Karachi, the banks of the River Ravi in historic Lahore, the landscapes of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the people and sights of the Thar Desert, these pieces confer energetic serenity. Mughees Riaz pays homage to space and natural light in his work. Riaz’s renderings of the River Ravi are breathtakingly beautiful, yet simple and serene. Ravi is one of the five rivers that give Punjab its name and it has been an important life source for Lahore. Riaz’s paintings pay homage to the river. His scenes are devoid of unnecessary objects or figures; Riaz chooses to portray a single buffalo, Gypsy hut or crow surrounded by the vivid colours of sunset and dusk. It is the physical space and the light that is his focus, the lit up figure is a conscious addition of the artist, yet is always a bystander or secondary element in the painting. This solitary figure serves to heighten the splendour of the moment that Riaz has reproduced; his brushstrokes capture the glow and rays of the light. The setting sun’s light and colours are reflected in the water, until the entire painting glows likes burning embers. Some artists like Abid Khan, Ajab Khan and Mishaal Rinch, are interested in rediscovering nature in their art, and examining man’s undeniable bond with the environment. Abid Khan tends to paint nature with regard to city-scapes, although his repertoire is widespread. His quick, energetic brushstrokes create compelling scenes of brightly hued trees and snowy populated valleys. His work often includes minute figures. Ajab Khan’s bright colourful pieces are similar, in that they demonstrate man’s impact on the countryside, and utilize a bright lush palette. Ajab Khan’s pieces portray ploughed and tilled fields with streams running through woods. However, both artists differ stylistically. Abid Khan’s brushstrokes are quick, energetic and fairly rough, while
Ajab Khan tends to follow a more careful, and realistic approach to his pieces. Mishaal Rinch is young artist who is exploring cultural scenarios, and her depictions of the harvest and busy rural lifestyles contrast sharply with some of her other pieces which deal with city rickshaws. Similarly, Raja Najam-ul-Hassan has portrayed fields of bright yellow blooming mustard flowers, a sight that is often seen in the rural countryside of Pakistan, but one that is not a part of the fabric of city life. Najam-ulHassan’s paintings are composed of bright daubs of colour, effectively conveying the texture and abundance of the blossoms. The artwork of the popular Swedish artist, Ivan Joern, is vibrant and energetic. His renditions of natural surroundings are made more abstract by his vivid colour choices, and the bold outlines that he uses. His pieces convey the vitality of his surroundings, and Joern is able to capture the essence of the scenes he has painted, yet there is a certain foreboding quality or darkness in his depictions, which is not present in the work of the other artists. Ali Abbas presents the viewer with glimpses of the life of nomads. He paints the nomadic people of the Thar Desert. These phenomenal representations often focus on the women of the nomadic community who are considered the matriarchs of the societal structure. Abbas dulls the background down to neutral colours and brightens the figures in his pieces. The beautiful and vivid greens, purples and oranges in his compositions draw in the viewers gaze, while the perfectly captured expressions and gestures of his subjects keep their attention. His art emphasizes the unique family structure, the division of duties, and the way of life of the desert people. The treasures and hidden secrets of the city of Karachi are revealed in Hanif Shahzad’s interpretations of the city. Shahzad depicts the bustling markets and busy streets of this historic and fast-paced metropolis. Shahzad’s architectural prowess is immediately clear, he has captured the range of styles of Karachi’s construction; whether they are older, traditional and slightly crumbling edifices or modern concrete blocks although Shahzad tends to paint more of the former in his work. The artist displays pieces that are extremely detailed and carefully rendered, however, not completely realistic. There is a romantic and mystical aura in his art, which serves to celebrate the wonder of old Karachi. Shahzad’s paintings are coloured by his deep relationship with his hometown. Bend in the Scapes is a homage to the amazing people and places depicted in the artworks.
Ivan Joern b. 1902 Studied in Art College in Mora, Sweden
Ivan Joern’s work is powerful and colorful, but at the same time filled with agony. An art critic in the prominent daily “Svenska Dagbladet” wrote that Joern’s way of painting: “…..oscillates between dreamlike romanticism and hallucinatory images, and above all in his landscape paintings the colors have an inner glow and a splendor bearing witness of a primordial and dramatic temperament in the use of color.” Another critic characterized him as having “…..tragic, unusual and original talent that on occasion magnificently manifests itself against an overwhelming inner and outer resistance”.
Untitled Oil on Board | 22 x 14 inches
Untitled Oil on Board | 18 x 22 inches
Mughees Riaz b. 1971 Studied in Punjab University Lives and Works in Lahore
My work is simple reflection of my inspiration. I always wanted to amalgamate nature with my inner feelings. Fascinated by nature, I always derive immense satisfaction and pleasure while capturing the wideness of sky, tranquility of rivers and peace and serenity of the field. Buffaloes, crows, brown fields, pink skies, specially sunset always compels me to paint and express my love for nature and I pour my passion into these subject and in return, ‘they become me’.
Sunset at River Ravi, 2012 Oil on Canvas | 30 x 30 inches
Gypsy Hut at River Ravi, 2012 Oil on Canvas | 24 x 24 inches
Hanif Shahzad b. 1959 Studied in Karachi School of Arts Lives and works in Karachi
I was born and brought up in Karachi and have an emotional bond with its historical buildings which belongs to all kind of architecture gothic, neogothic and others. My work belongs to realistic impressionism school of art as well as I am always inspired by the great and golden work of old masters. I like free brush strokes with full of colours and shades. It is my major aim to portray my subject in a very simple manner for the aesthetic satisfaction of everyone.
Burns Road, 2012 Oil on Canvas | 32 x 40 inches
Fresco Chowk, 2012 Oil on Canvas | 32 x 40 inches
Ali Abbas b. 1968 Studied in Sindh University Lives and works in Jamshoro
My work is a reflection of people who are settled in rural Sindh. Life’s demands are such that their existence is on a day-today basis. They have to keep moving, depending on weather conditions; finding new shelters and searching for food and water. A women plays a pivotal role in the tribal way of life as she is made responsible to look after household chores, fetch water from distant wells and rear children. This is to some extent their total existence. In these works I’ve tried in my small way to intimate their living environment and to communicate the same through my paintings to the viewers.
Untitled, 2012 Watercolor on Arches Paper | 22 x 30 inches
Untitled, 2012 Watercolor on Arches Paper | 22 x 30 inches
Raja Najam-ul-Hassan b. 1970 Studied in Punjab University Lives and works in Chakwal
Nature is so complexed, so diverse and amazingly beautiful. My job as a painter is to simplify its complicity and to cherish its beauty through my paintings with the rest of the world. I love to observe people as they look at my work and I consider my effort successful if it makes the observer THINK, WONDER & RESPOND.
Winter I, 2012 Oil on Canvas | 12 x 12 inches
Winter II, 2012 Oil on Canvas | 12 x 12 inches
Abid Khan b. 1968 Studied in Lahore Arts Council Lives and works in Lahore
Being associated with the classical and modern field of English literature, I felt the necessity to express myself in some way or the other in pictorial art. Therefore, I found release by manifesting my vision and communicating my power of imagination by painting; a novice in this field but it is an ambitious venture and occasionally I appear to be successful in retaining the underlying theme of my pictures. My inspiration comes from the forgotten sacred environment and nature we turn our backs to on a daily basis, to modern and materialistic age of television, computers and video games. From a chilly misty morning blanketed with snow to a warm bright field, my work is a fresh clean slate to the eye, a myriad of colors completing the composition. So I want to impart my knowledge, my capabilities of sharing feelings genuinely. I have tried to assert the superiority of imagination over reality on my canvases. This is not to say that my work is without intricacies, for I felt that even the darkest shadows are composed of almost imperceptible gradations of color and light but my canvases may leave some pleasant impressionistic traces of beauty and truth on you as John Keats says; Beauty is truth, truth beauty.
Sumbal Tree in Spring Season, 2011 Oil on Canvas | 26 x 32 inches
Amaltas Trees in The Month of May, 2011 Oil on Canvas | 28 x 32 inches
Ajab Khan b. 1964 Studied in Gomal University Lives and works in D. I. Khan
Harvesting, 2011 Oil on Canvas | 22 x 30 inches
Mustard Field, 2012 Oil on Canvas | 30 x 40 inches
Mishaal Rinch b. 1993 Studies at University of British Columbia Lives and works in Karachi
My work consists of a variety of portraiture and symbolic scenery. My paintings include local subjects, often focusing on Pakistani culture and street scenes. Although I work with a variety of mediums, I prefers using Acrylic, resulting in the vibrant colours and raw strokes apparent in much of my work.
Rickshaw, 2011 Acrylics on Paper | 8 x 8 inches
Rajasthani Porters, 2011 Acrylic on Paper | 14 x 21 inches
Asma Rashid Khan- Director Zahra Khan - Curator Maimoona Riaz- Gallery Assistant Azanat Mansoor- Gallery Assistant
satrang.ish@serena.com.pk |
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