An interesting array of ‘stylised’ paintings

Karachi
Hardly a day goes without the profusion of art galleries in city putting up a show of paintings by talented artists whose number is multiplying in the city.
All these shows have their merits and demerits but some are really interesting and attract the viewers’ attention and often, admiration.
One such exhibition opened at the Artscene Gallery, Clifton on Thursday evening.
Titled, “A Profusion of Colours”, it features the expressive talent of artist Salman Farooqi. Based on 38 works, the show presents quite a bit of variety of style.
There are what one could call pictures of colours; colours in various forms, geometrical figures, and still life blending harmoniously into one another, even if often clashing.
As Farooqi says, “Colours are actually an imagery of the heart. I get random thoughts and then present those thoughts, or their intensity, in the form of these colours.”
Farooqi goes on to say, “I paint more for the commoner and less for the intellectual. My themes are very simple, not at all philosophic.”
While these colours are not at all conforming to the conventional, conservative art, one with a sense of colours would certainly appreciate them. He calls these works stylised paintings.
Apart from this collage of colours, another object he concentrates on is boats. His boats come in all shapes, sizes, and colours, and are set amid various backgrounds.
While the boats are simple, conventional contraptions, there is something unusual about them and that is the brightness of their colours. As he puts it, “More often than not, when we see things in daily life, they appear drab. They might have shades and colours but we fail to notice them. I wanted my work to be a departure from the routine humdrum of daily life and add a little colour to it.”
Farooqi passed out from the Karachi School of Art and attained first position. He says he was greatly influenced by artists like Iqbal Mehdi and Rabia Zuberi, both names to contend with in the field of art in Pakistan. He has held solo shows in Singapore, Dubai, Bahrain, the US, and Canada.