Local talent enlivens Arts Council gallery

Exhibition of 138 works of all schools of art at Ahmed Pervez Gallery ends today

It was heartening to see the walls of the Ahmed Pervez Art Gallery at the Karachi Arts Council dotted with works of all schools of art by contributors from Karachi and the rest of Sindh.

There were works from all schools of art; realism, surrealism, expressionism but, fortunately, none of that modern art stuff that could not be assimilated by a lay viewer. 

All the 138 works were a delight to watch and they had very profound themes, themes that could be easily comprehended by the viewer. All the works are highly commendable but some stand out even among these.

For example, there was a landscape in water colour by Ozma, a piece of excellent surrealism. It feels like a dreamlike voyage through a picturesque countryside. The lady is certainly imbued with aesthetic sense, so aptly reflected by her work. It depicts a village scene with hutments and a lush countryside.

In fact there are a whole lot of landscapes, really inspiring and appealing to nature lovers in particular but some of these deserve special mention.

There’s a profound oil-on-canvas by Noshad, depicting a glade with lush green vegetation, a treat for nature lovers. 

Then, there’s a really eye-catching depiction of bird life showing a pigeon in flight. The colour scheme and the blending of colours, one into the other, is really pleasing to the eye. The artist, Maria Sheikh, is a lyrical colourist, indeed.

There are five “faces of Sindh” in charcoal graphite by Farhan Ihsan. It is a very precise description of the faces and features of people from our farming community, the villagers, including women. 

The furrowed faces of farmers who labour in the mid-day sun and are constantly exposed to the effects of the wind, the sun, and dust, are so aptly depicted.

There are also winsome depictions of famous landmarks in Karachi and Sindh. For instance, there is an apt description of the Makli necropolis around sundown by Naish Rafiq. Then there are depictions of city landmarks like the Empress Market, Frere Hall, DJ Science College, and others.

There’s also a whole lot of “mountainscapes”, complete with pines and funs, and cedars, a real pleasure for the vision. The three-day exhibition ends on October 20 (today).