Iconic Changez unveils his latest work

Islamabad: A grand exhibition of paintings by internationally celebrated artist and poet Raja Changez Sultan opens at Tanzara Gallery here today (Thursday).

Raja Changez Sultan embodies a unique vision both as a painter and a poet of equal stature. For the past 30 years, he has focused his creative energies on his two principal series, the ‘Divided Self’ and the ‘Himalayan Odyssey.’ One allows him to explore the intricacies of the human psyche while the other is a celebration of the play of light as it strikes mountain forms.

In addition to the above two series,’ the exhibition also features Changez’s latest series, the ‘Wood Nymphs,’ which is based on spirit-like figures in a Himalayan landscape setting. Even in his new work, the artist has retained the element of originality, with his paintings standing out just as much for their subject matter as for the techniques employed.

“Aiming for the minimal, his canvasses are built up with thin layers of oil paint and the result is a translucent light that permeates all around. The end product is a captivating, mystical experience, wherein one sees a fusion of colour, dissolving spaces, dismantling and unveiling figures and forms with an air of timelessness about them,” Tanzara’s director Noshi Qadir stated at the exhibition’s preview.

In Changez’s own words: “In a figurative painting, I look for a certain mystery. A relationship between varying moods—the figure must be expressive and yet contained, embody sadness and yet not be obvious, suggest movement and yet be still–things like that, which bring divergent elements together. These are the visual concerns I’m after.”

Changez has extensively exhibited at home and abroad and has also served as Director General of the Pakistan National Council of the Arts for several years. The exhibition will continue till February 2.