Art is something that not only pleases the eye, but also leaves a lasting impression on one....
exhibition
Art is something that not only pleases the eye, but also leaves a lasting impression on one’s mind. For many artists, art works as a vehicle for expression or communication of emotions and ideas - to depict beauty, to explore the nature of perception etc. This is what Pakistani artist, Ayesha Siddiqui, did through her recent exhibition ‘Illegible’ that recently held at Koel Gallery, Karachi.
Ayesha Siddiqui, a young contemporary artist, got her doctorate in Fine Arts from the University of Punjab in 2014. She received gold medals in M.A. Fine Arts from the Punjab University and during her distinguished academic career, she received six gold medals. Siddiqui had the honour of representing Pakistan in the 13th, 14th and 16th Asian Art Biennale (2008, 2010 and 2014 respectively) in Dhaka, Bangladesh and the 3rd and 4th Asian Art Expo in Beijing, China; 2011 and 2012. She has participated in many solo and group shows in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Jordan, China, New Zealand and U.K. Her paintings are included in many important public, corporate and private collections in many countries.
As for her latest work called ‘Illegible’, Ayesha Siddiqui’s art was an explosion of colour, with never-before-seen original, abstract impressionist paintings on canvas, taking centre stage for art lovers to admire. For those of you who had the pleasure of visiting her exhibition, there is no doubt that you were left feeling a little delusional yet intrigued. The artist believes in leaving the interpretation of her work to the spectators, which would compel one to ponder about the hidden meaning behind the said art.
This body of work by Ayesha was a testament to her unobtrusive approach with a complex yet grasping look at how the subtleties of her surroundings inspired her. She stood out in the world of art for her unapologetic boldness; she was unusually and quite utterly, unbounded by the forces of genre and style. And, to put it quite simply and uncompromisingly, it was emotion that had driven Ayesha’s hand. For her, the job of art was to inspire, not to imply. Her audience was her meaning maker and her work was characterised by dynamic brush strokes, shifting planes of colour and energetic forms. This was also the reason why her pieces remained unexplained - because every person had the will and freedom to form their own significance from each of her paintings.
Being a mixed media artist, Ayesha enjoyed using all sorts of mediums and material like oils, inks, water colours, and pastels to master the balance of movement, space and colour scheme. Her paintings were a window into the mind of an artist who had sought order in a chaotic world; she somehow managed to find pattern in the abstract works she created.
For those, who missed seeing ‘Illegible’, should wait and let the artist set some more inspirational work in future.
