Hasnat Mahmood has managed to assert his feelings through different mediums by producing images that reflected his self-expressions and served as a means to narrate stories. He recorded his feelings and emotions about the surroundings through lines, marks, tone, texture and spaces in a solo exhibition titled "The Studio that Create itself, after Allen Ruppersburg's The Novel that Write itself" at Canvas Gallery, Karachi.
The artist's pen on paper self portrait, graphite on paper drawings, etching and aquatint on paper, scratchboard drawings, photolithograph on paper, gold leaf on paper and gold leaf on scratchboard works delighted the viewers.
Each artwork was a commentary about space in social relations. Art has always been a social factor in societies as they initiate dialogue on social issues and provide a platform for common people to give their views.
Artists use logos, signs, symbols and icons to convey their perspective to the society so that the message can be understand easily by viewers and they enjoy the art also. These logos, signs, symbols and icons were links that connect people to the art and indirectly to the artist.
When an art was on display in a gallery anybody can comment on it right away which cinema and theatre goers cannot as they must watch the whole show than they can comment later on about the content and quality of the film and show but art viewers feel direct contact as they can express their views instantly at the venue.
Hasnat used his imaginations and converted emotions, memories, perceptions and desires in patterns. He imagined how these feelings look like creating different shapes consisting mainly of black and white elements connecting with each other through lines and strokes producing similar and dissimilar designs.
His art interact with viewers and also initiate dialogue. Mostly black and white with a pinch of gold and brown his artworks talked about many issues which he wanted to discuss and bring forth for the people to ponder. He left it to the viewers to fill the colours in their imagination according to their desire.
He used line and form to produce his desired images. He wanted viewers to interpret forms and lines in to dialogue. The body of work showed his observation and concept that helped him in developing and creating current series.
The lines cross each other, overlap and blends creating movement, they shift and they transform. And in the process they create beautiful impressions that share the story of their union resulting in different beautiful patterns. The white geometrical designs glow bright against black background. The meeting point of lines glow much brighter than the whole image conveying a message to unity. United we are strong.
(The writer can be reached at [email protected])
Comments
Comments are closed.