Painting exhibition at Rohtas mesmerises viewers

A show of an art group, comprising give young artists, Ahsan Anwari, Amra Khan, Maria Khan, Mohsin Shafi and Sarah Ahmed, at Rohtas Gallery on Friday with the theme ‘Nothing is Perfect’ in this World’ mesmerised its viewers
Talking about the title, the young artists from National College of Arts (NCA), Lahore, the Punjab University, College of Art and Design, Lahore, in a joint statement said: “We often dream something that is so absurd that it cannot possibly be true, and yet at the time it makes perfect sense. Every new work is a new venture, with highly emotive narratives of distress and violence.”
They said a picture is but a space in which various images exist, blend, fight and clash. “We indicate the profound ridiculousness that is precisely the truth and we can only imitate a gesture that is always beautiful, yet never ‘perfect; we are reminded that the world is a dangerous, painful place and still flawless with all its imperfections.”
Ahsan Masood has been a committed artist since his graduation form the National College of Arts Lahore in 2008 with distinction from the department of communication design.
Starting with inks, he has worked with acrylics, watercolours and a combination of such with digital medium. He previously worked with an NGO, dealing with the male street children and their manifested sexuality. He is also a part of the visiting faculty at NCA, teaching theory classes and supervising the conceptual physical development of the thesis student in the communication department.
Ahsan has accumulated a modest experience in showcasing his work in a number of galleries where as he was recently part of an international artist’s residency at ‘The Great More Studios’, Cape Town, South Africa. Amra Khan, born in Islamabad, lives and works in Lahore. She graduated from National College of Arts Lahore with distinction in painting in 2008. She is doing her masters in visual art from National College of Arts Lahore. Currently, she completed a semester at Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris, France.
Skilled in oils, acrylics and miniature painting, she often expresses her talents through sculptures and video installations. Her work tends to work around having two poles and different ideas or personalities living in the same body, conflicting gender, power and identity.
She has exhibited her works in galleries across Pakistan and was recently part of the Studio RM Alumni show ‘Silsila’ at Koel Art Gallery, Karachi, and at other places such as Alhamra Art Gallery, Zahoor-ul-Akhlaq Gallery National College of Arts, Rohtas 2, Nairang Gallery in Lahore; Rohtas Gallery Islamabad and Karachi Arts Council. She
Maria Khan, born in Lahore, lives and works at his birthplace. She is a graduate from the Punjab University, College of Art & Design Lahore, with distinction in painting in 2009. In 2010, she was given the best young artist award by the Punjab Arts Council.
She has exhibited her works in galleries across Pakistan, Including Alhamra Art Gallery and Zahoor-uI-Akhlaq Gallery at National College of Arts. She is highly skilled in oil painting and drawing. Sarah Ahmed Mumtaz, born in Lahore, lives and works at his birthplace. She is also a graduate from National College of Arts, Lahore, Pakistan, with a degree in printmaking.
She has worked as a teaching assistant from 2006 to 2010 at National College of Arts and is presently doing her masters in visual arts from NCA. She is skilled in all printmaking techniques, currently experimenting with embroidery and live artist performance. She has exhibited her works in galleries across Pakistan such as Alhamra Art Gallery, Nairang, Zahoor-ul-Akhlaq Gallery National College of Arts and also internationally.
Mohsin Shafi has been practising visual arts since his graduation form the National College of Arts, Lahore, in 2008 with honours. He has exhibited extensively in Pakistan and has his solo show in Dublin, Ireland, in 2009.
Shafi has been a part of the Visual Communication design faculty at Beaconhouse National University and at Pakistan School of fashion Design. His work is a blend of Photography, Printmaking, digital and manual collages, installation and video art. The use of text is a chief component visible in most of his work Sahfi is currently enrolled in the Masters program in Visual arts at National College of Arts, Lahore. The exhibition will continue at Rohtas Gallery till December 11.