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| Laila Shahzada’s works are a captivating combination of elements from cultures of the East and West with a touch of sensitivity. She was one of the few Pakistani artists whose works were exhibited in New York and London 60 years ago. PHOTO: COURTESY PHENOMENA |
KARACHI:
Echoes of expressionism reverberate in late artist Laila Shahzada’s works,
particularly in the one that depicts a part of her own life.
‘Mother
and child’ was a very sensitive work. It is a reflection of the artist’s pain
that she suffered from after being separated from her daughter, Shahien.
“She had a
son and a daughter when she was separated from her first husband,” said curator
Soraya Sikander. “She got to keep the son and her husband had the daughter. She
remarried and had another son but the vacuum of her daughter could never be
filled.”
Smooth
strokes and subtle blending of colours are the most prominent features of her
works on display at the Unicorn gallery. Adding a sculptural quality to
oil-on-canvas paintings is what Shahzada seemed to be a master at.
THE WAY
SHE HAS PAINTED IS SIMILAR TO THE WAY SADEQAIN DID. THESE ARTISTS USED TO PAINT
WITHOUT DRAWING AND CREATED FORMS OUT OF CALLIGRAPHY.
Soraya
Sikander, Curator
The
gallery is honoring the Pakistani modern artist by showcasing an exhibition of
her works throughout December to mark her 20th death anniversary.
Interestingly, the works are not for sale and have been given to the gallery
for public viewing by avid art collectors.
“This is a
very lucrative season to sell paintings and we could have had another show,”
said Sikander. “But we are paying a tribute to the artist.”
Pointing
towards an untitled oil-on-jute work, Sikander compared Shahzada’s technique to
that of renowned late artist Sadequain. “The way she has painted is similar to
the way Sadequain did. These artists used to paint without drawing and created
forms out of calligraphy.”
This
technique recurred in another work, titled ‘Skardu and Red Tree’. The
perspective is mesmerising and the viewer is left to ponder over the form. The
tension created with the use of colors and light is striking.
Colours
played an important role in her works. The artist played with tones of green
and brown in her oil on canvas painting, titled ‘Landscape’, which is owned by
art critic Marjorie Husain. The details were fine yet subtle, with the balance
of colours contributing to the subtlety. In short, the painting depicts a
serene scene and the effect is brought about with the skilful mixture of
colours.
Sikander
explained how Shahzada created this masterpiece when she went with her friend,
Husain, for ‘girl time’ to the northern areas. “The two went up north away from
their husbands and children to bond. It was a time when Pakistan was much safer
and women could travel like that.”
The artist
has added a sculptural touch to her paintings, and remarkably so. Be it the
Mohenjo Daro figurines like that of the dancing girl or the 50-year-old
portrait of her sister, the viewer is left amazed at the three-dimensional
perspective added to the works. “She was rich in observation and imagination,”
said Sikander. “She knew what to paint and was skilled at doing so.”
Moreover,
her works are a representation of both Eastern and Western elements. Her
signature shows her love and appreciation of the diversity of cultures.
“Perhaps, she is the only artist who signed in both English and Urdu,” said the
curator.
Published in
The Express Tribune, December 27th, 2014.
