A look into fear and what begets it

Karachi
The idea of fear is a central one, a psychological reality that, when viewed in the context of global socio-politics, war and mechanisms of power, has led to a seemingly unending cycle of actions and devastating consequences. The operations against insurgency, the spread of militant networks and their impact on urban centers have become a critical point of the focus globally.
Zarmeene Shah, an artist, presented these views on the opening ceremony of an art exhibition by a Pakistani Canadian artist, Tazeen Qayyum, titled ‘[IN]SURGE[NT]’ at the Canvas Gallery.
She said Qayyum’s “process of investigation traces its path through sustained ideas of the beautiful and the grotesque, the actual and the imagined, and of life in the face of a fear that threatens to overwhelm us all”.
“With her new body of paintings and three-dimensional works, she continues her investigation of the complex and shifting nature of political landscapes, particularly in the context of the war on terror and its direct ramifications on the lives of ordinary people,” she said.
“The metaphor of the cockroach entered Qayyum’s work in 2002, addressing issues of human rights violations and the value assigned to human life, and has since evolved and expanded, encompassing notions of the shifting roles between aggressor and victim, of perceived threats and real pressures.”
Talking to The News, Tazeen Qayyum said that the 9/11 incident had brought grave times for the Muslims in many parts of the world and the community had been suffering in several ways.
“Many communities of the world have been the target of terrorism in the world but the Muslim community has suffered the most. Innocent people are being killed worse than the insects are erased,” she said.
“The metaphor of a cockroach is representing the ongoing massacre where humans are eliminated mercilessly, and the nexus in the paintings are depicting the complex political scenarios which are not letting the world to proceed towards a peaceful future.”
She said both international players and extremist groups were equally responsible for the massive bloodshed, and it had created an untold fear in the common people of many countries.
Senior artist Naheed Raza said the artist had been exhibiting a unique and unusual form of art on her visits to Pakistan.
“She lives in Canada but never forgets her natives and their problems. The artwork shows how much she is concerned about the community issues and how well she communicates them in her paintings,” she said. “She always depicts the truths which are very close to our lives. The paintings suggest that they were given the due importance and the artist was very careful in stroking every single line.” The exhibition will run till April 30.