Pakistani society is riddled with taboos and prohibitions, which all of us are forced to navigate and come to terms with. However, the process through which we contend with and understand these widely prevalent taboos is unique to each and every one of us.

Take for instance the artist Rehmat Hazara, whose exhibition ‘Exploring Layers’ was recently on display at the Sanat Initiative in Karachi.

Born and raised in Quetta, Hazara explains that the rigid societal boundaries, which he had to adhere to as a child, led to him questioning the nature of these enforced restrictions and where they come from. As he grew older, the prevalence of a certain sexual repression in his surroundings became starkly aware to him when he travelled abroad and experienced different cultures. As a result of these experiences, Hazara came across the ancient Sanskrit text the Kama Sutra.

However, contrary to the preconceived notions that many have about the text, Hazara discovered that the Kama Sutra deals with much more than just the physical act of lovemaking. He learnt that it covers subjects as diverse as how to furnish and decorate a house, how to woo a bride, how husbands and wives are to behave with one another, how religious festivals are to be celebrated and how plants are to be tended to in a garden, to name a few. The revelations present within this text greatly informed Hazara’s artistic journey.

Bras and bottles were the medium of choice at a recent exhibition attempting to question taboos

As a result, Hazara’s work insists that we confront topics which are usually burdened with an unnecessary stigma in Pakistan. In his artwork, one can see different layers of colours coalescing to create the effect of a tracing sheet, which blurs and suppresses the visual.

The cracks, tears and folds in his paintings represent these societal suppressions. The three-dimensional pieces in Hazara’s work at the Sanat Initiative explore themes of eroticism, desire, body decency and decorum.

His artwork delves into how even innocent pieces of clothing can have an arbitrary sense of shame or sexuality associated with them. In this vein, Hazara’s decision to create braid-like structures with used bras is a captivating and impactful way for him to question the notions imposed by society on garments of clothing.

The exhibition contains mangled, worm-like bras dangling on the gallery walls, and bras of varying colours stuffed in bottles and corked shut like a vintage wine. It isn’t immediately clear upon initial viewing what exactly is stuffed in these bottles, and that is precisely the point. That which is taboo is meant to remain indiscernible, hidden and screwed shut.

As Hazara puts it, “My artwork is inspired by the contradictory nature of societal norms. To create these installations, I repurposed worn bras. By placing these bras inside empty glass bottles, I have tried to construct visual metaphors, urging viewers to contemplate the restraints that are imposed by society.”

By blurring the lines between that which is concealed and that which is revealed, the exhibition encourages a deeper exploration of the themes at play, inviting the audience to confront their own perceptions and assumptions about intimacy and modesty.

‘Exploring Layers’ was on display at the Sanat Initiative in Karachi from August 1-10, 2023.

The writer is an artist and educator

Published in Dawn, EOS, August 13th, 2023