Subscribe

Login

Facebook Instagram Twitter Youtube

Text | Sara Yawar
–

Visuals | Ejaz Art Gallery

–
Issue 50
–

A two-person exhibition captioned ‘The Echoes of Silence’ took place on 25th October 2019 at the Ejaz Art Gallery, Lahore. On display were the recent works of Salman Hunzai and Usman Khalid, depicting an interesting array of figurative paintings that addressed the individual concerns of both the artists. Usman Khalid is a miniature painter based in Rawalpindi who graduated with a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from the National College of Arts, Rawalpindi in 2016. Khalid focuses on the intricacy of the form, as he claims “God is in the details.” The statement reflects his treatment of the figures and nudes that he considers godlike, which he studies in meticulous detail. Another observation one can make about his work is the contrast that he creates between his figures and a stark white background, considering the latter as a ground of sanity that he claims gives him a sense of security. 

In his visual ‘Her Touch’, the artist creates a study of a female nude figure with grainy texture, making it seem like a statue. With the white background complementing it, the figure becomes an object; that is not only sexualized but also an object of worship, as the artist searches for god within his own creations. Another interesting artwork created by Khalid is ‘I need to scream’ which depicts a partially draped female figure seated with her back to the viewer, seemingly hiding her appearance, which is a commonality in all of the artist’s visuals. Similarly, the female figure depicted in ‘Look in, look away’ also has her back to the viewer with a cropped head, almost as if it has been sliced midway. By hiding their identities, it seems as if the artist is trying to hide his own repressed thoughts or desires; by choosing to look away, perhaps he is avoiding confronting those feelings and desires. Another observation that can be made in these visuals is the artist’s use of gray tones to highlight the bodies while the clothes and other accessories have been given color. The female body here becomes a mere paradox; despite being considered sacred and ever living, it is at the same time a lifeless object hence, the gray is perhaps what adds value to the form. With these contrasts, Khalid’s visuals shed light upon the patriarchal world we reside in today and the oppression of the female identity.

Also displayed at this exhibition is the work of Salman Hunzai, a miniaturist painter. Hunzai’s work focuses on the dry mountains of Hunza where he grew up and comments on how these mammoth sized stone structures have influenced his artistic language. He compares these enormous structures to the human condition, where one becomes numb and resilient with disappointments and hardships. He gives the title of Dan-e-Jee to his visuals which means ‘My stone being’, painting various Greco-Roman portraits that compare the physicality of Greek sculptures to that of human beings in his current body of work. In Hunzai’s visuals, one cannot help but notice the avoiding gaze and somber expression of all the figures depicted; some figures are without eyes while some have hyper-realistic eyes. 

The eyes not only compliment the stone figures but they perhaps reflect upon the mortality of these stone busts, since they are nothing but objects without those mortal features. Apart from the obvious, there are certain symbols that support the visuals painted by Hunzai as well; a male bust is shown to have realistic eyes while cracks are shown to be appearing over the surface of the face. The cracks shed light upon the fragility of stone sculptures and human beings; both crack under pressure and eventually wear away with time. A visual painted by Hunzai depicts the nude torso of a female figure whose head is draped with a red cloth while her forearm has been painted realistically adorning a delicate bracelet. The figure faces downwards with her index figure touching her face, seemingly shy. Like Usman Khalid’s work, this visual depicts the female body as a godlike entity but at the same time, as an object as well. By adding color to the headscarf and hand, the artist adds life to the frozen figure, perhaps to reflect upon the female body as a symbol of procreation. Taking the visuals of both the artists into consideration, they share a mutual ground when it comes to discussing the sacredness of the human body and its mortality. Not only do both the bodies symbolize reproduction but at the same time, they are nothing but objects that resist and survive under harrowing conditions. By creating such an engaging body of work, the visuals not only force the viewer to ponder upon the human ability to thrive under pressure, but also leaves one questioning the patriarchal culture we reside in and the lack of basic rights women face today, which includes taking control over their own bodies. This body of work will hopefully encourage viewers to consider these issues and help the future generation pave way for change.

Sara Yawar is an artist, designer, and writer based in Karachi who graduated with a BFA from the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture in 2017. Since then, she has been writing for various magazines which include DAWN and ArtNow Pakistan.

101 thoughts on “The Echoes Of Silence”

  3. Stewartcqi

    иртышская набережная 23 омск год постройки изумруд мэрии москвы пансионат россия адлер
    дом отдыха мидель гагра адлер санатории отель к визит токсово официальный сайт
    парк отель в подмосковье все включено локал отель грозный отдых на курортах россии

    Reply
  4. Stewartnyz

    оранж сан переделкино подмосковье
    отель давыдов пансионат имеретинский санаторий чкалова самара цены 2021
    царский лес отзывы санаторий для пожилых людей сочи отели гостиницы сочи

    Reply
  5. Stewartqpx

    санатории алушта крым отель друзья в санкт петербурге ломоносова
    millcreek спб гостиницы болгар татарстан кашира гостиницы и отели
    курорты южного крыма фгау санаторий фссп россии зеленая долина пансионат курорт пицунда абхазия

    Reply
  6. Stewartoml

    космос елабуга сочи екатерининский квартал отель
    сан виктория пушкинский район официальный сайт гостиницы в питере цены евпатория северная
    феодосия восход санаторий фунгилайн ком хостел альтаир новосибирск

    Reply
  7. Stewartuzu

    санаторий анапа океан отзывы ярославль отдых с бассейном
    михнево гостиница таганрог санаторий тополь стоимость путевок великие луки подворье
    геленджик дельфинарий каргополь гостиница береговой алушта официальный сайт

    Reply
  8. Stewartoyw

    спа отель сортавала санатории под сочи
    торнадо новомихайловка отели в дубае все включено аврора сочи
    гостиницы в великих луках псковской области гостиница русь новороссийск дагомыс корыта

    Reply
  9. VederTwtyeg

    турфирма пмп гостиница приморская ялта
    booking hotel yalta com шале прованс анапа официальный отели жуковский
    хостел смородина новосибирск абхазия отдых города санаторий электроника хоста официальный сайт

    Reply
  10. VederTwtnna

    карелия санаторий дворцы санатории южного урала с бассейном
    аквамарин резорт крым акян отель спб курортное агентство здоровье
    зеленый гай пансионат санаторий карагай цены на 2021 ялта интурист отдел бронирования

    Reply
  11. VederTwtrau

    краснодарский край море пляж санатория крым
    гостиница вершина гуамка пансионат клязьминское водохранилище официальный сайт цены улыбка евпатория официальный
    гостиница янтарь москва отель porto mare отдых рядом

    Reply
  12. VederTwtmmq

    мрия резорт спа 5 крым аскинский район санаторий танып
    санаторий тарханы пятигорск отзывы самые лучшие отели геленджика хостелы в архангельске недорого
    санаторий светлана лось клязьма мытищи пансионат путешествие в абхазию

    Reply
  13. VederTwtjvz

    отели ичмелера турция с все включено курорт джубга
    пансионат в твери с бассейном белые росы анапа забронировать гостиницу в ташкенте
    синоптик мисхор подборка отелей гостиница в санкт петербурге цены

    Reply
  14. VederTwtnwi

    золотой берег санаторий отель аристоль уфа
    сосновая роща фото санаторий подмосковье с лечением в средней полосе россии
    soldaya grand hotel горячий ключ санатории с бассейном отель аврора владивосток

    Reply
  15. VederTwttfs

    довиль алеан отели с бассейном в санкт петербурге
    санаторий мрия евпатория геленджик санаторий звездочка фсб официальный сайт белокуриха алтай вест
    30 лет победы 30 вихревая ванна для рук санаторий им ломоносова в геленджике

    Reply
  16. VederTwtpoq

    чайка загородный отель в дзержинске цены гостиница тянь шань
    гостиница маяк нижний новгород на федосеенко цены стрелинка база отдыха проспект науки 17 санкт петербург
    дагомыс отели у моря big marine санкт петербург туры в кабардино балкарию из москвы

    Reply
  17. VederTwtcsr

    гостиница богучаны переславль залесский виктория плаза
    хостелы в кингисеппе адреса и телефоны медицинский центр юность отель форрест
    гостиница заря чебоксары гостиница золотой берег таганрог отель надежда анапа официальный сайт

    Reply
  18. VederTwtbbo

    кисловодск где остановиться недорого отели чайковский
    солнечная гавань оленевка кивач отзывы отдыхающих петро палас санкт петербург
    путевки в алтай все включено цены отель в омске на сутки азнакаевский санаторий профилакторий официальный сайт

    Reply
  74. накрутка яппи

    It’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! I’d certainly donate to this superb blog!
    I guess for now i’ll settle for bookmarking and adding your RSS feed to
    my Google account. I look forward to brand new updates and will
    share this blog with my Facebook group. Chat
    soon!

    Reply
  89. breast lift tape

    An outstanding share! I have just forwarded this onto a coworker who had been conducting
    a little research on this. And he in fact bought
    me lunch due to the fact that I discovered it for him…

    lol. So let me reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!!
    But yeah, thanx for spending the time to talk about this matter here on your internet site.

    Reply

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ADA – Architecture Design Art creates its own niche through the documentation and publication of significant architecture, art and design from Pakistan.

Head Office:

19E, 1st Floor, Supermax Arcade, Shahbaz Commercial Area, DHA Phase 6, Karachi Pakistan

International Office:

Unit 202L
7581 Jane Street Concord
L4K 1X3 Canada.

Emails:

contact@adapk.com editor@adapk.com marketing@adapk.com awards@adapk.com chair.adaa@adapk.com secretariat.adaa@adapk.com

Phone:

+92-21-35171378
+92-345-8292737

All Right Reserved © 2008 - 2022 | ADA-Architecture Design Art