The miniature paintings are the most authentic story-tellers of all times but Khalid Saeed Butt has evolved an innovative modern style of miniature painting over three decades period. He has obtained a new style from strictly traditional concepts of miniature to a new phase where he broke the rules of miniature by enlarging the size of his paintings. He uses the experience he gains during the long years of his career to mould his personal style.
With an aroma of romance, poetry and history he experiments with traditional themes spreading on variety of subjects of love and harmony. His recent artworks exhibited at Artscene Galleries, Karachi also revolves around the subject of romance and love.
The elegance of femininity reflects in the series of paintings titled "Ragniyan". Inspired by the romance pervading ancient legends and folk stories, he freely fuses traditional and contemporary art through his expressions in his paintings.
He very carefully conveys the sensitive and emotionally close relationship between two people through his figurative paintings. He handles line and form skilfully which can be seen in the images of human figures. The delicate message is conveyed in full meaning subtly through flowing lines and opaque colours. The translucent drapery of female figures adds a pinch of salt to the theme.
The affectionate gestures of male and female figures reflect the message of love and affection. He romanticises his paintings with lavish colourful backgrounds showing wide courtyards and Mughal gardens where peacocks emerge from behind the trees creating an ambience of peace and love. The imaginative romantic atmosphere around the figures attracts the viewers.
The mystifying paintings explore the depths of love - a feeling that makes this world a place to live. The concepts of myths and realities related to love are conspicuous in his paintings. The resonance of music and the poise of serenity personify in the images.
His collection of works depicts human figures in dreamy backgrounds representing a Mughal era atmosphere. His works show an exotic land of fantasy, a dream world with colourful landscapes, lush green trees with perching birds, twinkling stars in the night sky with crossed lovers beneath a tree, lonely female with a peacock or a sad slim female with a pitcher at the lake and a group of females fetching water from a well and a lover play flute for his loved one under a tree.
The visually sublime ambience adds a feeling of tranquillity in the paintings. And the fragile male and female figures with the richness of colours create an impact on viewers. The elongated anatomy of figures gives the imaginative touch to the paintings.
"I am setting free, these playful lines on the vast large canvases. The lavishness of colours, the curvature of female body and the stature of the male figure are of the same as it was encages on the small scale," said Khalid while explaining his new style.
The use of colour, shape, subject and composition made his work distinct. He has used gold leaf in a number of ways giving an extra ordinary look to his paintings in gouache on canvas.
His landscapes are decorated with trees, lakes, sky, rocks, mountains, birds, stars and of course two lovers engaged in romantic encounter, rendered in incredible depth and feeling. These all compositions captures the fragile moments of love companionship or loneliness like a sweet dream. He portrays the true feelings of two people which they have towards each other, which connects and make them behave in a peculiar way involving especial manner in which they communicate with each other.
The delicate texture displays the light mood of the artist, the backgrounds of most of the paintings are in soft colours except a few depicting night scenes, and the colour schemes are very harmonious and moderate. nadeemzuberi71@gmail.com