LAHORE - A profound depiction of an artist's vision and intimate love with nature brought a refreshing impact to my mind and soul and took me to a world of fantasy decorated with symbolical manifestations as I happened to a visit a painting exhibition by Dr Shahida Manzoor.
Dr Shahida is presently serving as Associate Professor at College of Art and Design, University of Punjab. She is exhibiting her work based on the concept of Anhad Nad, an echo of limitless boundaries and a constant process of creation, in her solo show at Hamail Art Gallery ending today.
The teacher cum artist delineates nature as an enriching and grooming element in form of different moods of time and space with a more personal and intellectual approach. She inquires the evolving factor of human life on many levels in natural phenomena. Her energetic and bold strokes signify her thoughts and actions.
Shahida has painted it in layers, as the first painting displayed there gave a profuse natural view. Keeping my eyes on it, I soon found myself into a spiritual world where my subconscious was engaged in a logical conversation with the nature. As to the form, she did it in a semi abstract manner by combining organic and inorganic forms, and using cool and warm colors.
Overall, the show is like a series of mood, expressions and state of mind of artist, in the metaphor of flowers, leaves, birds, trees, wind and female images. Titles of paintings tell us more precisely about artist’s feelings and wishes – like Tranquility, Tranquility Lost, Freedom I and Rejuvenation.
Being a woman herself, the artist investigates nature with a more sensitive way in relevance of her own gender as we can see in Motherhood, Hope I and Freedom II. When I empathise, it feels that she has used feminised language in context of prevailing nature. It looks like the artist is exploring herself under the veil of natural phenomena.
Thin layering of colours provides a backdrop for thick strokes that interprets her expression of life with a dynamic force in the paintings. She painted the physical beauties of nature in more spiritual and philosophical way. Her love for nature provides her a bridge of wisdom. The light emanating from the paintings itself represents the charisma of one’s spiritually and attribution towards God.