Pakistan has abundance of culturally beautiful landscapes that were portrayed by many of our master artists but still our younger generation wanted to revisit those cultural features that charm every generation as far as the human race exists. People who belong to certain area and grow within that surrounding, the aura of that environment also grows in their soul. Therefore, when an artist, who is one of the sensitive part of society portray his/her culture the artworks that created as a result are the closest to that culture and are the best source of information and knowledge to understand the culture.
A group exhibition of drawings by ten artists belonged to Jamshoro Sindh at Art Chowk Gallery, Karachi was the true representation of the Sindh culture. As all the artists were native of Sindh they therefore understand and skilfully reflected the culture in their drawings for the delight of art lover Karachiites. Titled "The Future is Now" the exhibition comprised drawings done in pen and ink, mixed media, graphite pencil, hatching, cross hatching, aquatint and collage.
Each artist beautifully highlighted diverse aspects of life in black and white, sepia, silhouettes and shadows. Images in shades of black and grey or in single black colour portrayed life artistically. As real life is in colours, the shades of black and grey bring out the hidden aspects of life in art form to viewers. The simple sketches and drawings highlighted social issues and human life in rural areas.
Some artists used daily use items as symbolism, while incisive attention to details and powerful thinking reflected the issues emanating from personal discourse and their living experiences.
Using creative imagination and skills, the artists manifested a thought provoking exhibition. Their drawings depicted social responsibility and public concerns. The artists showed the complexities as well as simplicity of life side by side to compliment and highlight the other. The two sides of a coin can be seen in different drawings of different artists but as they belong to the same region they know every aspect of life there. How people undergo various circumstances and overcome the odds of life and yet live a happy and peaceful life that one can imagine.
Inspired by culture and natural beauty Abid Hussain Ansari, Faiz M Supro and Zameer Hussain portrayed the daily lives of villagers. Abid Hussain Ansari's drawings depicted fisherman huts and boats at the shore of river while Faiz M Supro showed people sitting on Tanga for a ride as it is the most common local ride in the town whereas Zameer Hussain enjoy rain and draw a lively landscape during rain. The three artists chosen pen to draw their feelings on paper.
Saeed Ahmed Lakho, Naeem Akhtar, Waqas Khatri and Shafiq Tunio, seemed to be more interested in the figurative portrayal of the people around them. In graphite on paper Saeed Ahmed Lakho created faceless forms that although faceless full of feelings and gestures.
Naeem Akhtar's collage and pencil sketches showed beautiful and attractive children faces. These children were full of life and energy. The innocent faces of children encouraged Naeem to draw their various moods which give hope to people in life.
Waqas Khatri's ink pen sketches were brimming with expressions. He well played with light and shadows in his drawings to create feelings and situations.
Shafiq Tunio used aquatint technique in his figurative drawings. Using famous people portraits and his imagination he draws the figures of different known personalities to satisfy his creativity.
Farooqe Ali Chandio, Muhammad Mujeeb Lakho and Shahid Aziz used every day items that were commonly used by people daily to express their feelings about the society.
Farooqe Ali Chandio used graphite pencil and tea wash to draw traditional straw chaabri used for keeping bread. The linear intricacy of the chaabri inspired him to study its structure and use it in his drawings symbolically for survival and sustenance in the arid province.
The repetition of the line and form in chaabri attracted him just like the life of common people tangled in various problems. They are reflections of hopelessness as well as strength.
Muhammad Mujeeb Lakho draws the versatile Chattai (mat) with pen and ink. The repetition of the lines in Chattai motivated him to see life through different angles. The mat create a chequer-board pattern when woven but if remain alone they are just pieces of straw.
Shahid Aziz has totally different inspiration he got attracted to motor bike parts that is he became mechanical and draws different auto parts in his pen drawings.
Thus each artist used traditional imagery to introduce present day concerns to the viewers. From vibrant village culture to descriptive sketches all the drawings were intricately drawn and skilfully expressed emotions and simplicity of the local life, which has some commotion but with hope of better future.
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