Exhibition Artist pays tribute to Faiz : Islamabad Abid Hasan’s painting exhibition ‘Noor-e-Sehr — A Tribute to Faiz’ opens today (Saturday) at gallery6. Abid is an outstanding contemporary abstract painter, who creates his compositions through the application of chemical processes and oil paints on layers of original silver and gold leaf applied on canvas.
The reaction of oxidizing agents on silver and gold creates enticing textures, on which he overlays paints in a planned way to produce aesthetically brilliant works. Abid has achieved this merit through laborious experimentation of this unique technique for more than a decade. To celebrate the birth centenary of Faiz Ahmad Faiz, he has wandered on a challenging path producing over 40 exquisite paintings on well-known verses of Faiz.
The compositions are outstandingly intense and energetic, reflecting an inner powerful voice that cannot remain unheard. The enticing hues visually demonstrate the magnificence of Faiz’s themes of love and beauty, which were submerged in the larger social and political issues of the time. Faiz’s enigmatic voice for social justice and humanism became a beacon of light and hope and Abid has successfully captured the spirit of some of the renowned verses in his distinctive way.
The work ‘Phir noor-e-seher dast-o-girebaan hai seher se’ mesmerises the viewer by the intricate effects of breaking of light rays from the darkness, while ‘Sehr ka roshan ufaq yaheen hai’ creates the magical feeling of being in the moment of dawn. While ‘baam-e-minaa se maahataab utare, dast-e-saaqi mainn aaftaab aaye’ takes one on a different stride. On one wall, there is the stunning ‘ye dhoop kinara sham dhalay’ and on another is the very evocative ‘ayae hath uthain hum bhi....’ painted with dark female figures. Very imaginative use of hands and finger prints narrates a moving tale of many innocent lives lost in war of terror in ‘hum jo tareek rahoun mein maray gai,’ and the will not to surrender has been portrayed through juxtaposition of ropes in ‘zaban pe muhr lagi hai tou kya.’ These are all works of creative intelligence and commanding skills.
Commenting on the show, the gallery’s curator Dr. Arjumand Faisel said, “The paintings in this exhibition should place Abid among the leading painters of Pakistan. The treatment shows his masterly quality over the medium with effects that are captivating. The imagery is original, with new symbols and vocabulary and there is depth in each composition. The figures and designs, though a well-planned part of the painting, appear impulsive, spontaneous and flowing - adding another striking dimension to this work. We are not only witnessing a master in the making but in the empowerment of a new medium.”
Discussing his works, Abid said, “The knowledge, that I have gained has been entrusted to me by God. Hence, it is my duty to take care of it and spread the message of love and peace through colours and forms. Today, it is more needful than ever to rebuild the dignity of our country. Since the poetry of Faiz warms and pulsates the blood with its sensitivity and universality in a way that inspires and enlightens the soul, I have chosen it as the subject of my paintings.”
Abid was born in Rawalpindi in 1970 and after studying from Gordon College, moved to Karachi and joined the Karachi School of Arts, wherefrom he graduated in 1996. Besides being a visiting faculty member at KSA for drawing, he also works as an interior designer. This is his third solo show in Islamabad in the last three years.
The exhibition will continue till June 3 at House no. 624, Street 44, G-9/1, daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., including Sundays.The news
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