LAHORE – Ali Azmat, a graduate of the University of Art and Design, University of the Punjab, captures the on-going turmoil of Pakistan, with flat, vibrant works that seem more illustrative in nature than paintings. His careful rendition of children, toys and balloons with weapons, blood and other symbols of war, is much more than a mere reflective study of the environment and the situation of the nation.
Using the theme of war and the wave of destruction that engulfs us, Ali evaluates the situation at hand through his art. Children juxtaposed with weapons, broken toys and the symbolic use of green and white on a tattered broken doll are all very direct in their connotation and highlighting the socio-religious diaspora of our society. Toddlers crying and clenching tightly to their broken, often band-aid, wrapped toys is visible again and again. With the use of seemingly mummified toys, some times children focus on the uncertain and bleak future that is upon us.
SUSPENDED ANIMATIONS: In all his works, the lack of a background rather than discreet the subject entrusts them with complete and unbiased focus, giving them a sense of suspended animation. The white surface area of the back also helps not only in centralizing the whole composition as a whole, but it being limited by the frame, also creates a sense of claustrophobia.
CHARACTERIZATION: The imagery being strong, direct and very flat is also dense, while the use of colours such as pure reds, oranges, midnight green, and yellows adds to the overall zeal of the work. The emotions, gesture and the individual characterization of the subjects in this case the children is quite skilfully captured and rendered.
The elemental and subjective use on Azmat’s part is also of descriptive nature. Toys wrapped, suffocated in polythene bags, toddlers crawling towards an explosive while trying to outdo one another, a kid trying out military boots, are all some of the very retrospective things through which the artist establishes his narrative.
MULTI DIMENSIONAL: The use of the tradition Saafa or the scarf worn by many Mujaheddin is used as a symbolic reference to the rising religious fanaticism in the country. Though concluding this, Azmat doesn’t portray a one dimensional picture of the society. In one painting is a kid trying out military boots while standing atop the Safaa cloth piece, in another one a little Madrasah going child is the object of attention, crying alone and blotted with a splash of red.
NATIONAL TURMOIL: One more aspect that makes Ali Azmat’s work outstanding is the illustrative quality of it. While the medium is acrylics its usage in a very flat two-dimensional way is reminiscent of the illustrations one went through in their school book. This adds to the effect in showcasing the national turmoil we and our children are going through.
CHILD SOLDIERS: Those school books illustrations captured a very happy face a shimmering future of the nation, especially the kids from different provinces and areas hand in hand smiling, but in truth, Ali’s work shows the not-so-happy ending of these little fellows. Suffering, scared, crying, hurt and even pondering upon issues that are by far too complex for them to understand, Azmat’s ‘child soldiers’ are the face of today’s Pakistan.
SIMPLE AND ON YOUR FACE: Ali is not a man with much patience for metaphors and deep etched introspection. His work is crisp, cold and yet filled with eye pleasing sensitivity. Where as the rest of the people make work that needs to be deciphered in order to be understood he gives the viewer everything packed and parceled.
Skill wise to he is different from his contemporaries not aching to achieve photo-realism he rather works with his flat application of paint techniques. While all the others were trying hard to make a difference Ali Azmat was struggling to showcase and in some case understand the transition that has already shook the roots of our social pyramid and society.
– Mustafa Naqvi is a student of the National College of Arts and
uses a pseudonym.
