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Now the summer vacations have started and students and
their teachers go in search of cooler climes. Most of
the galleries, at this time, display their own collection
and one finds some very interesting work on show. Canvas,
Chawkandi Art, Momart, Gulmohar, Unicorn and the Arts
Council Gallery, all have diverse group displays that
are well worth a visit.
The VM Gallery, that continues to work come rain or
shine, showed an exhibition of mixed media works by
Abdullah Syed, and we welcomed the return to Karachi
of an artist Mohammed Ali Bhatti who, once frequently
seen on the circuit, spent many years abroad and is
now Head of Fine Arts department, Sindh University.
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Local flavour was added at the Citi-Art with a two-artists’
exhibition by Mohan Das and Shahid Iqbal from Hyderabad,
who depicted life in the rural areas of Sindh in bright
colouration.
With a collection of Lamda prints taken from photographs,
charcoal and chalk pastel text typed on Fabriano, Abdullah
illuminates the collection of work titled ‘Born
to be…’ with texts of the speeches of the
Quaid-e-Azam. Searching for personal identity, it appears
the artist, who has spent several years abroad in his
art study, compares the environment around him to the
initial aims of the Quaid and is perplexed. He is seen
as the subject of a series of beautifully devised settings
in which he wears a confused conglomeration of costumes;
civvies east and west, military and remnants of school
uniform, looking out of the composition with baffled
dignity.
Another artist from Sindh, Dr Mohammad Ali Bhatti, holds
the position of Director, Institute of Art and Design,
University of Sindh. He was an active participant in
Karachi exhibitions until he left Karachi in the late
1980s to take an MFA in painting from the University
of Pennsylvania followed by a period of teaching before
taking his Ph.D. in Fine Arts in 1998, from the School
of Comparative Arts, Ohio University, USA.
In earlier times, Dr Bhatti was well-known for his paintings
rendered in a style of naturalism that introduced a
third dimension to his work. Now, with much experience
and years of exhibitions to his credit, the artist is
equally at ease with a fluid, naturalistic style as
well as strongly executed semi abstracts. It is good
to see his work again and it is a positive contribution
to ongoing art activities in Karachi. Dr Bhatti is also
a published author and it seems, he is currently working
on some very interesting projects.
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