Painting By Irshad Salim
ISLAMABAD: An exhibition of paintings, “Flights of Fancy”, that will open at Gallery6 on Thursday Feb 24, brings unusual imagery.
Works of Ragini Upadhyay Grela from Nepal and Irshad Salim from USA will be on display, which according to the art curator, are likely to mystify art lovers.
Though both painters use different media and have never met, shared or exchanged their work, there is a striking similarity in their art – it appears childlike at first glance and then classy when given a closer look.
Ragini’s works were examples of flight of imagination, leaving much for the audience to discover and visualize. Over the years, in her interesting compositions, she had highlighted serious socio-political issues in satirical way or had played with the enjoyable happenings in the world.
In this exhibition, there were two from her “Gai Jatra” series, which depicted chaos created by politicians in Nepal.
“I associate the cow to the general public.The owners of cows, the politicians take as much milk as they like, they enjoy it endlessly…but they really ever want to know what this cow (we the public) want,” she explained on the preview day.
Some works were from the “TIME” series, while most were from the “Love in the air” series in which romance and bonding of lovers was seen happening high up in the clouds around the globe. Figures were seen flying across famous landmarks like the Taj Mahal, Statue of Liberty, Eiffel Tower and the Great Wall of China.
The traditional imagery of romance is replaced with the modern tools – mobile phones, computers and keyboards, making the compositions humorous, witty, joyful or satirical.
Ragini is a respected Nepalese artist who graduated in Fine Arts from Lucknow University in 1982. She has also studied in Germany and the UK and is a member of the Oxford Printmakers. Over the last 32 years, she has held 56 solo exhibitions and participated in 16 group shows worldwide.
Irshad Salim’s compositions were the creative outpourings of his limitless energies. In their expression, freedom became absolute and rationality was thrown overboard. Also the academic theories were violated and barriers broken.
In his work, one saw complex relationship between simplification, stylisation and sensitivity.The abruptly moving lines took unexpected twists and turns, bringing an element of surprise. However, the dominating simplicity and spontaneity brought the touch of lyricism. The drawings usually consisted of minimum lines on coloured backgrounds, the surface was worked over with layers of paint that created the image and variegated textures.
The paintings like “Don Quixote and Sancho Panza in North Waziristan” and “Person of Interest (POI)” dealt with international politics with a sense of humour. While a lone figure flying kite in wilderness far away from the city in three paintings titled “It’s February, where do I celebrate Basant” portrayed the desire for collective celebrations. “Last straw on camel’s back” is a reminder for the need of reconstruction after the floods.
Irshad started painting in late 1960s. He drew attention when he received Sadequain Award and Ahmed Parvez Award in 1970s in two art competitions. The exhibition will continue till March 6.
Discussing his work, Irshad stated “No matter how much you wish, childhoodness is the crazy glue behind man’s present and future manifestations. ‘Settled’ in USA for the last 27 years, I am one of those souls who remains immersed in myriad colors of the jetsam and the flotsam called the United States of America. Even then the nativity remains childlike, Pakistani-like but end up constantly fighting to sync in the matrix sometimes successfully, somewhere unsuccessfully. Colours, forms, substances, spaces, etc. are all available around me and I only discover them. So I paint what I see, imagine, dream, think or feel inside me with my childhoodness, and present them in different moods and combinations – my paintings. Enjoy the Results!”
Painting By Ragini
Irshad started painting in late 1960s. He drew attention when he received Sadequain Award and Ahmed Parvez Award in 1970s in two art competitions. He held solo exhibition in Indus Gallery in 1995 and group shows in Karachi and received acclaim from leading art critics of the country, including Dr. Akbar Naqvi, Marjorie Hussain, Hameed Zaman. In mid 1980s, after graduating as a civil engineer, he moved to USA and settled there and now lives in New York.
Collectors of his works are in Canada, USA, France, and Pakistan. With this exhibition, Irshad is making a comeback to Pakistan and plans to exhibit here regularly.
The exhibition will continue till 06 March daily from 11 am to 7 pm, including Sundays, at House 624, Street 44, G-9/1, Islamabad. All art lovers are invited to visit the exhibition.
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