The opening of a two-person show – Komail Aijazuddin’s ‘Altars’ and Muhammad Ali’s ‘Condolence Theatre’ – was recently held at the Canvas Gallery. People from all walks of life, including artists Sameera Raja and Durriya Kazi as well as Safinaz Muneer from the famous designer-duo Sana Safinaz, attended the launch of the exhibition that presents the perspectives of two Shia artists about the tragedy of Karbala. Out of 17 artworks that are on display, five are Ali’s paintings, whereas 12 are Aijazuddin’s altars. While the material worked on and the philosophy behind the art is entirely different, the two young artists have presented the similarities Christianity and Islam, especially Shi’ism, share.
The artists have used different forms of theatre as an analogy in their work. Talking about his paintings on exhibit, Ali said he took inspiration from various aspects of the Shia culture from across the world. While the Condolence Theatre from Iran inspired him to paint a picture, the Muharram processions and the ritual of qama zani also worked as a spark. Believing “painting is a popular art form”, he created paintings that already existed. Terming his “altar ego” as the protagonist of the paintings, Ali said the images represent his emotional state and not necessarily the reality.
“We hear more with our eyes than with our ears; therefore, I decided to visually present, in front of my audience, my identity,” said the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture graduate.
On the other hand, Aijazuddin’s altars celebrate weddings – a reference to the wedding of Qasim in Karbala – and pay homage to St Sebastian, a Christian saint.
Holding in high regard the great martyr of Islam, Imam Hussain, and St Sebastian, it was natural for Aijazuddin to objectify the two historical personalities.
Working on a theme that is essentially contemporary, however, he has deviated from the traditions and kept the characters from religious robes.
“In a country where Muslims have to use ‘we’ when talking about religious issues, I have dared to present my version; however, I leave it up to the people to decide what they think about it,” said the tall, chatty artist.
In a country where it is easy to label an act as “blasphemy”, it would be impious, if not blasphemous, to not see the art collection.
every sector of the religious group think that his God is true and his God order to kill that person who is not confirming the rightness of his God.I think if no one insist any person for particular kind of preach for any God and every one would be liberal to do any type of service for praying and obey as per his own thinking, than murder and killing of human being in the name of religious honor become Zero. I think if every person promise with his own mind heart and will for speaking true at any cost the peace and pleasure can find any where. It is also a fact that if every one ready to live with simple life and that is simple food simple cloth and simple house then every one will speak true automatic true every where any time. Saad Shibli ASC.
that what u think, if every one begin to think like u then this world would become a paradise.
We all are humen and we could not think or do similer that why God has created u and me and all other.
My dear who is God? where is God? God is an imaginary thought feeling recognizing therefore every one think that is greatest power non has said that he saw the God therefore these are very important question. in every religious some similarities are available that is praying, fasting and place of pray with different name that is Mosque, church and Mander etc. I thing no God required to kill any person if a person is not confirming such God for who any person preaching. it is human being desire to kill such person for whom he is preaching. if we can calculate percentage of human being killing destruction of property or hating among the human being than it can easily found that killing, destruction of property or hating among the human being in the name of God is approximately 80%. why most educated and scientific researcher society that is USA. UK, German Japan and others are still fighting and killing destruction of property or hating among the human being in the name of God. Saad Shibli ASc
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