Perhaps one of the most powerful and unique aspects of abstraction in art is its absolute ability to be anything the viewer wishes it to be. It moves beyond artistic intention or the need for real-world representation and provides the audience with a space of endless visual possibilities.

‘Introspection’ is the latest display of paintings by artist Shaukat Ali Khokar at Koel Gallery. Belonging to Mithodero, a small village near Larkana, the artist began his journey as a landscape painter, documenting the surrounding streets. It was only during his time as a graduate student of the National College of Arts that his work transformed to the mesmerising pieces we see today.

As the title suggests, the works visualise Khokar’s meditative journey. Each dot on the canvas appears as beads of prayer, informing of inwardly recitations to the Divine. However, as a whole, each painting explodes with multiple forms of possible imagery; the paintings could be reflective of waves or the wind. They could also be understood as aerial views of fields or cities. With every spectator and with every observation, the paintings take on new shapes and new identities, and therein lies their true beauty.

A dot is the beginning of any painting. Without it, a painting would cease to exist. In a way it functions much like a single living cell that, when multiplied and pieced together, comes to form complex organisms. In the same way, dots join through lines and shapes to produce intricate creations.

Shaukat Ali Khokar’s recent exhibition pushes the audience into a state of contemplation

In the case of Khokar this is also true, but here the artist allows his audience to be able to witness each dot, each detail, that then come together to form an enormous space of flowing imagery.

In this way, the artist takes his audience on a journey with him, one that explores the making of each work.

Being able to witness each dot enables the viewer to have a glimpse of the meticulous process by which each painting is made. With each piece, Khokar pays strong attention to each minute detail and, as an observer, one cannot help but stand in awe of the discipline and dedication the artist displays.

The colour spread across the exhibition is rather soothing, much of which is monotonal. While some include white dots painted against black backgrounds, others are filled with colour combinations that are evocative of nature. Additionally, Khokar creates a visual perception of depth through the use of dots of varying shades of colour. As a result, the paintings move in seamless flow across the canvas.

Standing before such spectacular pieces, one can’t help but realise how several of them could possibly be reflective of the complexities of the universe, and therefore, like a single painted dot, we too are a miniscule part of a much grander design or plan. This design is something we can not foresee, nor completely understand, but when it comes together, it radiates a beauty that is unmatched and beyond comprehension.

As a viewer, it would perhaps be impossible to understand Khokar’s series of works in their entirety, and maybe that is how it should be. Instead, we should just be appreciative of what is placed before us and how, together, these dots emerge as manifestations of our own thoughts.

So, though these canvases began as spaces of contemplation for Khokar, it is the audience who culminates them into completed works through their own introspective interpretations.

‘Introspection,’ a solo exhibition of works by Shaukat Ali Khokar was displayed at the Koel Gallery from the February 8 to February 23, 2022

Published in Dawn, EOS, February 20th, 2022