=> ISLAMABAD: The earnest feel for women issues was p
ISLAMABAD: The earnest feel for women issues was portrayed effectively and passionately by two veteran artists, KB Abro and Nahid Raza in a painting exhibition titled ‘No to Violence against Women’, which starts today at the Nomad Art Gallery.
The exhibition was organised in collaboration with the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) to mark the Human Rights Day, which is celebrated globally on December 10, and the Nomad Gallery has dedicated this day to its campaign to stop violence against women.
Abro, a journalist, has used his paintings to probe deep into bitter realities of life, particularly related to the issues of women in our society. Using mixed media usually known as digital art on canvas, Abro created such beautiful images that one could hardly believe that they were made through a machine.
Talking about this modern technique, Abro said the computer was a tool and a medium for him just like brushes and canvases. “I usually pick images from the real life, manipulate them and then juxtapose them on canvas to get the desire image,” he said.
He said mixed media was an established art form across the world, but was new to Pakistan where people were still not addicted to graphic art.
He said that it was not possible for a single man to change the whole scenario related to the condition of women, but it was the duty of every citizen to take some practical steps to correct illogical biases in the society.
Each piece of his work, although portraying figures of dancing ladies surrounded with suppression from the society, continued to depict energy, passion and hope. The red colour and images of pigeons remained a significant part of his paintings symbolising the energy that women have within and the hope for a change. “The swinging and dancing images of ladies are portraying the urge of every women to be free,” he said.
Abro claimed that there was not a significant difference in the condition of women in Ziaul Haq’s regime and the conditions of women under the current regime. “Zia snatched the rights of women given by Islam by imposing the cruel and discriminatory Hadood Ordinance, while Musharraf passed the Women Protection Bill which does no good to ordinary women,” he said.
Five of his pieces contained images of famous dancer Sheema Kirmani in which she was depicted swinging and dancing in joy, while in two pieces he had used the images of his own daughter while dancing. Meanwhile the paintings of the feminist artist Nahid Raza wonderfully depicted the evils of society that were obstacles in the paths of women.
Creating thick layers of paints to create the outline of figures, Naheed used the palette knife in a unique way.
Like Abro, Nahid was also optimistic about the status of women in the society, showing her optimism by depicting the sun and the moon on her canvas.
The backgrounds of the figures were made beautifully by the use of bright feminist colours including purple, burgundy, shocking pink and green. She used the snake to symbolise the patriarchal society of the country.
Nomad Art Gallery Director Nageen Hayat said the main purpose of the exhibition was to sensitise men on women related issues. “These are images of the common woman that highlight simmering realities that have yet to explode in revolt,” she said.
“We are living with double standards as we accept things that benefit us, but when it comes to women issues, we totally deny their rights given by the religion and given by the UN charter,” she said.
“If the chief justice of Pakistan can be deposed in one day, then why can’t a law against Karokari be passed in one day?” she questioned. Hayat said women must be empowered, educated and given the liberty to make their own choices.
Source: Daily Times
Date:12/10/2007
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