‘The absolute truth’
Karachi: The Indus Valley School (IVS) was host to a unique exhibition on Monday by two talented artists, Arslan Farooqui and Ehsan Memon.
Both artists, graduates of Lahore’s prestigious National College of Arts, have an unconventional and revolutionary manner of expressing their thoughts and views. They have skillfully manipulated the medium to convey their ideas. Their exhibition is titled “The absolute truth”.
For example, Arsalan Farooqui has infused digital technology into images of famous miniature paintings, calling them moving miniatures, Farooqui brings to life the history that is statically presented in traditional miniature painting. His video animation of Zulekha seducing Yusuf is a profound, moving image of history, as is his “Yusuf Being Pulled Out of the Well”.
These moving images really bring history to life. There are two other video animations by Arsalan, Construction of a Castle, and Funeral Procession. Both the works are highly profound depictions.
The moving images in the “Construction of a Castle” indicate the hard work and slogging undertaken by the labourers who work with the sweat of their brow to eke out a living, the rest of the bounty being pocketed by the selfish capitalist while it is the labour of the workers that brings the project to fruition. The works are sized 48.26×57.15 cm.
As for Ehsan Memon, his works are more inclined to oil paints on fibre glass. “His Waiting”, an oil-on canvas, measuring 5×3 feet, is a profound reflection of the feelings that are a mix of longing and anxiety when a person is waiting.
In a sense, both artists, while addressing their concerns and ideas, are also, on a bigger scale, questioning and challenging the boundaries of art making and medium. Through their works, Farooqui and Memon are exposing us to a world that was, is, and can be.
The exhibition continues up until September 21. It is a must-see for those initiated into modern computer-related pursuits like digital art.
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