Wednesday 30 January 2013

'Irony In The Soul' - by Roman Ahsan




‘IRONIC CONTRADICTIONS’

[Coverage of an art-exhibition]

PUBLISHED: ‘SUNDAY PLUS’, THE NATION | DEC 21, 2008

S Roman Ahsan probes Anbrin Zafar’s quest to identify contradictions around us

Homo sapiens are essentially sensitive souls. When we are hurt, we feel the pain sometimes wanting to vent that feeling through the medium of crying. Likewise, happiness puts a visible cheer on our faces and we disregard everything that is happening around us. However, it is “ironic” that we tend to become too obsessed with ourselves caring little for the “transgressions” that are recurrent in the environment where we survive, the society to which we owe our existence, the country which lends us our identity and the whole world which is our homeland. Though these transgressions cannot be eliminated easily, yet we do need to acquaint ourselves with them.

Pakistan National Council of Arts organized an exhibition of paintings titled “Transgression” by Anbrin Zafar, a PhD student in Fine Arts practice at the Punjab University, and who is also the curator for Punjab University’s PURAF Art Gallery. The exhibition was inaugurated at the Shakir Ali Museum, Lahore on Thursday, December 4th, 2008. Vice Chancellor, Punjab University, Dr. Mujahid Kamran was supposed to be the Chief Guest at the opening ceremony, but due to unforeseen circumstances he was unable to attend the ceremony and was represented by Dr Nadeem, the Registrar, Punjab University. Apart from him, the prominent television artiste Tauqeer Nasir also graced the occasion with his presence.

The artist’s 30 intellectually stimulating paintings were on display in the exhibition breaking the barriers in conventional art, and exploring new vistas of Post Modern Art in Pakistan. As one glances at her paintings, Anbrin’s visionary thoughts expressed in the frames seem to overthrow the viewer due to their unique presentation.

Anbrin has targeted the present situation with focus on both national and global picture, creating illusions and shadows with her paintings, seeking assistance of unconventional mediums of expression. She has used Acrylic Sheet and Paper fabric, both of which are transparent and create illusions. It is extremely significant the she has explored these mediums herself for the first time for which she could be labelled as the pioneer of this form of artwork.
The theme of her paintings is ‘Irony in the Soul’. In Anbrin’s own words: “We are living in the age of extensive and varied information, coming from all parts of world. We are confronted with this information in a closed space “the global village”. As this information is immense, varied and closely approximated, it results in juxtaposition. The process of juxtaposition leads to new meaning for the whole as opposed to parts. Contradicting images and statements are floating around us producing strange as well as ironic effects. It is a global situation yet more relevant to our society because of ironic contradictions. Since artist is also a part of this un-aesthetic situation, my imagery is the reflection of the same. The canvas of my thoughts is probing the paradoxical norms in society. I used juxtaposition of images to create a multiple reality, which is new but relevant to present/past society. By using unconventional mediums in my paintings, I am trying to explore new ideas and to unfold the layers of my sub-conscious to find a way to the unconscious. These hieroglyphics of my visual language are reflections of my experience. All this imagery is protesting against this imbalance.”

When ‘Sunday Plus’ probed her about the different forms of contradictions persistent today which have formed the basis of her artwork, Anbrin replied, “These contradictions are prevalent in all sections of the society throughout the world but obviously in different forms. For instance, Pakistan is a very poor country, yet on billboards, we are projecting happy families enjoying new brands and carrying aristocratic lifestyles; on the other hand majority of the people not only cannot enjoy any of these facilities, rather they are unable to fulfill the basic necessities of life. Then there are numerous other examples. Multinationals are playing havoc with the lives of people of third world. As a part of the society, an artist has to suffer the same paradoxical norms that are predominant in the society but being more sensitive he or she feels more, and shows protest through the brush. So did I.”

Replying to the question as to the nature of her own experiences being reflected in the paintings, she said, “I want to quote Shelley: ‘I fell upon thorns of life; I bleed!’ ”
The titles of her paintings were:
1.     Transgression (series)
2.     Scream series (series)
3.     Duality (series)
4.     Tunnel (series)
5.     Din Gi
6.     Blind Bird
7.     Enlightenment
8.     Authority and Objection
9.     Changing Priorities
10.                        Feminine Cry
11.                        Leda and Swan
12.                        Buddha
13.                        Mockery
14.                        Irony of Life

When ‘Sunday Plus’ inquired about the themes of her paintings, she described them in these words:

“Transgression” series is about the paradox in local and international politics, terrorism etc. There is also situational, historical, and dramatic as well as cosmic irony in it.

“Scream (nobody hears you screaming)” series of paintings depicts our routine life, which is so busy that we cannot even hear the scream. Noise pollution, traffic horns and other problems have made us deaf or we do not want to pay attention or listen to them. Now the scream is a part of our luxury living room because of television. If we compare it with Munch’s ‘scream’, atmosphere was the part of scream there.

“Tunnel” series of my paintings shows the contradiction of recent bomb blast at the Performing Arts Festival in the Qaddafi Stadium. Every public place is unsafe. All of us have to pass through security alert zones and still that makes no difference. Blasts are there, no matter what you do as precaution.

“Blind bird” (we, the people of third world) cannot fly because the requirement of the situation is that we do not see anything. Blind bird is not blind actually.

Prior to “Irony”, Anbrin has done a solo show at Minhas Art Galleries, Government College University, Lahore, earlier this year and has also participated in 8 Group Shows from 2006-2008.

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