While going through paintings at an art gallery I came across Dr Syed Ali Wasif. During the course of conversation it was recalled that we have had brief encounters at Frere Hall where I used to go there to meet Sadequain in 1986. Dr Wasif was a student of Sadequain. Therefore, he was also a regular visitor. He invited me to his studios and showed to me his new work, which he was contemplating exhibiting at a solo exhibition soon.
Each painting by Dr Wasif narrates a complete story. He has a powerful sense of anatomy and he also beautifully distorts the figures. The compositions of his paintings in a curve show his command. Having brilliant outline his work is unique in every sense of technique and approach. He has a style of his own as he perceives various subjects in a particular way.
Usually artists complete their painting or say come out of their painting whereas Dr Wasif's painting told him that I am now completed stop painting that is his painting comes out of him. The surrealistic world of Dr Wasif reflects his mentor Sadequain. The guidance and influence of his teacher make him fell deeply in love with the medium. He get inspired by variety of things and situations and being a psychiatrist he got a lot of inspiration from conversation, emotions and expressions especially from stress. And thus the source of inspiration varies. But his paintings depict every emotional expression.
His current work explores the world of fantasies that exist within every person like a soul but there is a difference between them - a soul is the immortal essence of a person or living thing but fantasies are imagination that are unrestrained and extravagant and take a person some where he/she wants to be it may be playful, entertaining or it can be distracting and frightening.
He warns us not to misunderstand fantasies for reality as they are temporary escape from the real world.
While explaining his work to me he said, "I have done this series in a quest of seeking the reality, to find the meaning of the meaning and the hidden meaning".
Talking about his theme he said, "It is just like blood corpuscles which are floating in the plasma, but each has a different makeup, structure, function and fate. In a similar manner, each individual is surrounded by his/her eco-psychosocial and political environment. Yet has their own imagination, thought process, interpretations, perceptions, soul and hidden fantasies".
He relates fantasy with romance as without romance the world would be like a 'robot factory'. He consider fantasies a phenomenon, which helps a person live a normal life but when these fantasies and our animal instincts combine together they may create problems for some people who are not much stronger to differ between fantasies and reality.
Otherwise fantasies broaden our imagination. In his recent series he tried to understand the evolution of mankind through culture and society and also explore the relationship between the evolution, the cosmos and the artistic expression.
Thus he is dealing with two worlds within a person in his paintings and in my opinion he is succeeded in portraying the relationship of the soul, the mankind and fantasies through his artistic expressions.
The co-existence of these two worlds creates a balance in our life. But sometimes our animal instincts dominate and our soul's union with the beast results in lust that drives the 'rape of innocence'. Dr Wasif question the role of lust and taboo of love making along with animal instincts which drive such behaviours in individuals.
He paints real characters revealing that darkness, fear and despair can be overcome by a single thought or feeling of 'hope'. Hope gives you energy to handle disintegration, loss of integrity even death. Hope keeps you alive in odd times and helps you create a new life. It's notable that all goodness comes from hope, which is an illusion of reality.
The vivid imagery and emotional impact of his work can be felt while viewing his paintings and unfolds a new perspective of the subject. His high colour sense and command on using colours is evident from the colourful contrasts of his paintings. Dr Syed Ali Wasif's exhibition titled "Disintegration of Broken Souls & Fantasies" at Citi Art Gallery, Karachi today is a feast for art lovers. His paintings are of international level and can be auctioned at Christie and Bonham Fine Art Auction Houses.
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