Labyrinths as monologues woven through feelings and emotions

The Koel Gallery is hosting Shaukat Ali Khokhar’s solo art exhibition titled ‘Labyrinth’ until July 5, according to a statement that was released by the gallery.

Khokhar was born in 1970 in the village of Mitho Dero near Larkana, reads the statement. He loved to draw the streets of his village for some time, and later he painted pigeons, which originated from his childhood memories.

He joined the National College of Arts in Lahore and graduated with an MA (Hons) in visual arts, where his work evolved towards minimalism. With a sound theoretical base, he created his paintings using simple dots.

“From the beginning to the finished work of art, the dot is an essential element in my work,” says Khokhar in his artist statement. “I had always been a great admirer of the dot used repetitively, just like Daedalus created the labyrinth for King Minos.

“I remained involved in making intricate patterns based on my thought process. However, every work has a simple beginning but ends in forming complex but beautiful labyrinths. “These labyrinths also take me back to my childhood, and I recall roaming around the streets of my village. The labyrinths I create are monologues woven through my feelings and emotions.

“These monologues are formed with myriad dots that invite the viewers to lose themselves in the visuals, travel their own way, with varied options to experience and interpret the journey as they want.”