KARACHI: Highlighting man’s mortality or the inescapable aspect of death, Shakespeare in his tragic masterpiece Hamlet has a discussion on the ephemeral nature of existence and what happens to every man when his life comes to an end. Prince Hamlet, talking to his friend Horatio in the famous graveyard scene, says:

Imperious Caesar, dead and turned to clay,

Might stop a hole to keep the wind away.

Oh, that that earth, which kept the world in awe,

Should patch a wall t’ expel the winter’s flaw!

The passage does not need paraphrasing; it’s readily understandable. Even the mighty Caesar, who fought many a battle for his country and ruled the world, died and turned to dust.

Artists, writers and poets have from time immemorial focused on clay to emphasise not just the temporariness of mankind in this world but also the malleability of his being.

An exhibition at the Art Chowk Gallery of Aliya Yousuf’s terracotta artworks titled Interwoven Narratives — a Dialogue with Clay and Cultural Landscapes explores the possibilities that sticky earth can provide the artist with in order to interpret life’s intricacies.

The name of the show gives away quite a bit: a dialogue with clay and cultural landscapes. But the phrase ‘interwoven narratives’ hints at something beyond culture — there’s a personal angle, too.

It is believed that Picasso began to experiment with clay in 1905 and took him some time to use the medium to — in the words of a curatorial note used for a display — “suit his fertile imagination”.

Aliya says, “I have developed a deep interaction with the medium where questioning the intentions of clay has led me on a journey explore the relationship between myself as the artist and the material. The process has challenged my assumptions and fostered a strong connection.”

It is a challenge, indeed. However, she breezes through it by virtue of her noteworthy ability to use terracotta (hub clay) in eye-catching forms and shapes. In doing so, she never veers away from what nature has endowed man with. As a result, fine exhibits such a ‘Gold flower’ and ‘Now it’s spring’ come into being.

The exhibition concludes on Aug 31.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2024