ART FACTS: Spiritual and physical expositions

While visiting a local gallery the other day I meet Abdul Jabbar Gull, during conversation he revealed that a solo exhibition of his current works in sculpture is scheduled recently and thus he invited me to view his new creations at his studio. Abdul Jabbar found his passion mainly in sculptures however he satisfies his creativity by painting also. He has learned to see and feel his surroundings in an entirely new way.
Sculptures helped him develop his senses and increased his awareness towards the world around him. He personally belief that we live in two worlds one is spiritual while the other is physical world. And he uses abstract symbols for spiritual world while known symbols for the physical world.
Elaborating the theme of his current exhibition titled "Khudi-o-Bekhudi" he said, "'Khudi is the essence of self with all the awareness of you and things around and Bekhudi is the submission of self by negating you and all the awareness of things around."
He uses elements that define the reasons and the answers to certain questions with a contemporary style and innovative ideas along with quality materials, sheesham and partal woods, brass and aluminium.
In my view sculptors have two personalities. Though they are sensitive they are mentally and physically more strong. My view is supported by observing the laborious and complex processes involve in sculpture making by Abdul Jabbar from clay modelling, mould making, metal casting, forging, sanding, grinding and buffing, drilling, threading nuts and bolts, electric and gas welding, lathe work, wood carving and turning, jointing, carpentry, smoking, staining, painting, lacquering to waxing.
It is difficult to communicate in sculpture but Abdul Jabbar portrays traditions, believes and the ills of the society in a thought provoking manner in an effective way. A pleasant change of expression in his sculptures reflects his new ideas and thus provides a new development in his art practice. His sculptures define everyday problems, reflecting the society. His conceptual work has given him a way for achieving new sensibilities as a contemporary artist.
The human form is a major source of inspiration for him. He thinks it is the most important phenomenon of the universe. He enjoys carving different shapes revealing varied hidden forms in the wood and metal.
He reflects himself in the sculptures; he transforms the materials soulfully in a desired form to covey his observations and feelings. He has a good sense of making symbolic representation of issues and situations in his sculptures. In fact symbols are the life of his works beside human forms.
The faces with eyes sometimes closed "Bekhudi" and at other times open "Khudi" indicates the spiritual world and the awareness of the world respectively. The abstract forms and flowers above faces reveal various desires and dreams of people which they wants to become true.
The ordinary faces and figures which he calls "Ordinary Souls" dominate his works. This time he uses wing structures with figures titled "Tahir-e-Lahooti", which are used symbolically for thoughts. Thoughts and dreams are the only things in this world which has no boundaries and restrictions therefore, he uses wings as thoughts can fly wherever and whenever a person want. The wings in sculptures are not of angels but the wings show floating thoughts in the air titled "Winged Thoughts". Some thoughts are forgotten during the time period like birds fly away to other regions are titled "Forgotten Thought".
Various motifs incorporated in a cluster of sculptures on about a dozen moveable square pieces of wood forming huge sculptures titled "Game" and "Titans" present the overall situation of the world as a whole and our country in particular which are dependent on supper powers and the power and money indicated in the form of coins and other abstract symbols.
He describes how the leading role is played by the supper powers in developing the world's structure. "Paradise" reflects refreshing place with gifts of nature flowers and gardens, a visual pleasure as flowers are the symbol of beauty, softness and delicacy. He reflects how the life of ordinary people is affected by these circumstances and phenomena. He wants to spread awareness about certain known as well as unknown issues present in our lives.
His artistic creations and distinctive characters and symbols touch your consciousness leaving an expressive aesthetic impression. He discusses knowledge about the known and unknown. One of his sculptures "Self Observation" shows forms of 'Takhti' scribbled with text - he invented his own vocabulary a new style of writing many different alphabets of various languages using symbolically to show that all human being though speak different languages can communicate each other through one universal language - their emotions. Whatever language may they speak the language of emotions will always be the same their gestures for happiness and sadness, love and hate, good and evil are same around the globe.
"Believer and Non-Believer" reveals a human can be a saint or evil but you cannot judge it just by seeing a person unless he reveals his mindset in a conversation. There are many interpretations of his works other than what he actually conveys as every viewer has his own point of view. It shows that every individual's concept is different depending on their own experience about the same thing therefore different people drive different meaning for the same artwork. An exhibition of Abdul Jabbar Gull's contemplative works titled "Khudi-o-Bekhudi" will open today at Koel Gallery, Karachi and I hope art lovers and art students will gain from it.
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