A Pakistani artist's concern for the status of women in society finds expression in his paintings of figures who betray pathos despite their rich adornments.
http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/04/05/10116122.html
Five minutes pass in the Bagash Art Gallery before this writer realises that the lone gentleman present is indeed Abrar Ahmad. The Pakistani artist has neither the apparent eccentricities nor the self-awareness that many painters are known for. It is only after the gentleman rises to inspect the alignment of one of his paintings that his identity becomes apparent.
As the creator of works that have immortalised women, Ahmad looks at the paintings with respect, concern and unfailingly maintains a safe distance so as not to upset their balance. "If only," he says, "society could treat women without just objectifying them."
Ahmad's paintings, at first glance, could be misunderstood as objectifying women. For they are mostly dressed in the colours of the rich. They wear bangles by the dozen. They have rings on their fingers, bells on their ankles, pins on their noses. Their pastimes are elitist. They play the flute. They gaze at the moon. They stroll through green gardens and chat with birds.
But, Ahmad asks, are they happy?
The question arises because their eyes are covered with the shadow of paint. And their lips confirm the melancholy within. "That is how we operate as a society," Ahmad says. "We think that our women are satisfied with jewellery, a fancy house, beautiful clothes. We are so focused on the material pleasures and comforts that we are forever forgetting to ask about their feelings. Are our women emotionally happy? What are their dreams? What is it that makes them truly happy? Do they want a good life or a good husband?" Ahmad asks.
Inspiration without boundaries
Ahmad is inspired by Indian miniatures which he says he has "made contemporary". The Rajasthani palette that grabs the viewer's attention owes itself to Ahmad's ancestry which can be traced back to Jaipur in the western Indian state of Rajasthan.
"When people say the women in my paintings look Indian, I disagree," he says. "These borders were drawn 60 years ago. The women, the style of painting and the artistic tradition is something that dates back thousands of years. If you must stick a geographical context then say South Asian, but these borders were given to us by someone else, who perhaps, didn't understand the common culture that the divided countries actually share," he says.
Ahmad, who is self-taught, says he is a huge admirer of the Bengali tradition of art. "In my earlier works, the motifs and details would appear accidentally, but for this time I have included it consciously and it adds to create an atmosphere of richness," he says.
As he walks around the gallery explaining his thought process, he points to a number of his women at regular intervals. "See the half moon?" he asks. "To me, the bindi [mark on forehead worn by Hindu women] these women are wearing is a symbol of life. I view life as a half moon and we are all on a journey. Our half moons become a full moon after we reach God. And if you want to take the Hindu belief then we revisit and go through the half moon again," he says, comparing life to the lunar cycle.
"My last series was about the poetic truths and I chose to work with ghazals [Urdu poetry]. And the creative force that emerged as a result of appreciating
poetry is the result that you see now. My next phase will explore more the emotions of women and go beyond them as aesthetic forms," he says, visibly disturbed by the ornamentalisation of women that is common in South Asian society.
Ahmad's women wear a pall of black shadow over their eyes, which he says is again symptomatic of society. "Our women are still not allowed to come out. Many times, it will appear as if she has power — financially and in terms of luxury — but in terms of decision making and truly being empowered there is a long, long way to go," he says with emphasis.
Although Ahmad has been painting for the last 25 years, he says, he has felt truly focused only since 1991. And, he adds, not much has changed for women in that period. "I speak for Pakistan, though I know that all South Asian women have their problems, even if they do differ in nature," he says.
"In Pakistan, today the biggest problem is still the existence of the feudal system. Fortunately for India, though there are other issues, at least it is not as prevalent as it is in Pakistan. As a result of this feudal system, there is a separate system of law and order in place. It is a parallel one that rarely favours women. Ahmad winces at the mention of Mukhtar Mai, the Pakistani woman who was gang-raped and paraded naked as part of a judgment in order to avenge a slight on another tribe's honour.
"Where is the justice in that? Her brother does something. The right or wrong of that itself is debatable and Mukhtar has to pay the price with a public gang rape and paraded naked?" Ahmad asks, shaking his head. "We need to educate. We must encourage healthy debate and communication. With education we read more and then we think more and form more opinions. And then we all look for forms of expression and my personal medium is painting. It is like my comfort zone, as in, I feel that I can do it and the appreciation has been kind," he says.
Ahmad insists on the promotion of the arts within society.
"Appreciation for art, culture, music and books gives [people] more food for thought. We will have interesting things to talk about. Otherwise what will people talk about? Each other? What a waste!"
Oriental Images is on until April 8 at the Bagash Art Gallery, Dubai.
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