ISLAMABAD: Diverse Dimensions, a group show of nine young artists, opened at Satrang Gallery on Friday. The exhibition was inaugurated by US ambassador Richard Olsen and drew a large number of art enthusiasts and students from the National College of Arts (NCA).

Asma Rashid Khan, Director of Satrang Gallery, said: “Satrang Gallery is proud to usher in its fourth year brimming with possibilities and progress. We continue our tradition of promoting talented young artists and bringing the best in contemporary art to our audience. Diverse Dimensions showcases the work of nine painters - selected artists from the National College of Arts’ graduating class of 2015.”

Richard Olsen said: “It is a great pleasure to be here with recent NCA graduates to witness the bold and innovative work they have generated. It is delightful to see this side of Pakistani life which is sometimes missed by the outside world.”

The exceptional painters have in the tradition of practically all NCA graduates explored themselves to create high subjective pieces.

Michele Galopin said: “Their art is provocative and encourages us to think about the world and ourselves.”

— Photos by Tanveer Shahzad

Ayesha Akbar, Fatima Batool Kazmi, Hira Siddiqui, Khadijah Azhar, Muhammad Ibraheem, Rabia Ehsaan, Shireen Rasul, Syed Haider Ali and Usman Malik used a variety of mediums, colour palettes and even canvases of untreated wood, reflective steel, board and paper.

The sizes were also distinctive beginning from Ayesha Akbar’s 2X2 inch addendum to a painting up to Rabia Ehsaan’s 6X6 foot (approximately) room for confinement.

— Photos by Tanveer Shahzad

Ayesha Akbar says: “I tried to stretch the boundaries between the image you confront and the image you recall which created ambiguity. The shifting of images from monochromatic to polychromatic created new possibilities.”

Of her work, Alexander Long, a visitor, said: “I am experiencing this exhibition holistically as this is my first art show in Pakistan, and it is my second trip to Pakistan. I think Ayesha’s work revolves around a very neat concept and I haven’t seen anything quite like this before. All the other artists are pushing the envelope in a more brazen way, while her approach is slightly more subtle.”

Fatima Batool Kazmi has used charcoal effectively with powerful but nuanced strokes.

She says: “My work is a representation of my present state of mind which is affected by what is and I have always observed dogs throughout my life, which has led me to question the difference between the behaviour of men and dogs.” Drawing interesting comparison by juxtaposing street dogs and brawls, Fatima’s work draws one in, to examine different sections of each painting.

Hira Siddiqui interestingly enough took sections of internationally famous artworks and redid them with changes in composition, placement, mediums and techniques.

Khadijah Azhar, who painted exquisitely fine faces on steel sheets in contrast, says: “I am particularly inclined towards portraiture and depicting human emotion; my art mostly represents a documentation of life.”

Muhammad Ibraheem says: “I have attempted to produce pieces wherein the viewer is put in the spotlight rather than the maker of the piece or for that matter the piece itself. For me, it is more valuable to know what each individual perceives in an image rather than what an individual thinks of what the artist is trying to do.”

Rabia Ehsaan created large installations where she flattened three dimensional spaces by camouflaging them under pattern and motifs.

She says: “Concealing purposely placed objects that create strong irony.”

Shireen Rasul’s paintings could be the blueprints for the next Hollywood alien movie as she creates a new species in an underwater habitat, which combines human characteristics with evolutionary features of various creatures.

Syed Haider Ali painted dark cityscapes with forms derived from scaffolding, infrastructure, and other systems.

Usman Malik in almost diametrical contrast used organic material on untreated wood to create subconscious links with nature.

Umer Farooqi, a visitor to the Gallery, said: “I enjoyed the show. Till recently art in Pakistan used to be calligraphy or landscapes and it is inspiring to see young artists doing subjective work. It seems like they have taken their innermost thoughts and placed them on canvas.”

Azmeh Ansari said: “Each of the artists has a very strong individualistic style that comes through clearly.”

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2015

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