ART FACTS: Distinctive sensation

Maqbool Ahmed's paintings portrayed transparent figures merging and emerging in unusual ambiances creating a peculiar atmosphere in a simple manner. He has acquired a diverse mode of painting to distinguish himself among his contemporaries. His powerful brush strokes painted layers after layers creating reflections and images of images. He created a vague ambiance through reflections as well as refractions of his subjects. An aura of mystery was formed by the reflections within reflections and the object and subject diffuse in those various reflections making it impossible to identify the real images.
Maqbool has a unique style of his own and his paintings are admired by art connoisseurs and art lovers alike. But I have never seen an artist having a signature style experiment with his mode of painting while his identity is his distinctive style. He has the passion and courage to experiment with his own style and bring out new and distinguish form from his previous work. And this time also visitors witnessed the fresh perceived forms by Maqbool Ahmed in the current solo exhibition of paintings at Citi Art Gallery, Karachi.
His work has been conceptual in which he portrayed social issues regarding women. The women figures in his paintings seemed to convey complex realities of life. He combined figurative, cubism and surrealistic work in a single painting and the outcome was brilliant. The women in his paintings were connected with each other in an unseen thread, a deep feeling which only they share.
He used symbolically the shadows, reflections and cubes to enhance his point of view. Soft and enlightened female images unveil emotional and intellectual dilemmas of women. Women were like lonely souls living with their unlivable dreams and desires.
The cubes and shadows support his complex theme. Some of his paintings revealed complicated ambiance that's why he used symbols thus enabling people to understand his difficult subjects.
He enhanced his paintings through brilliant use of colours. This time he used white shadowy figures of women to transform his paintings transparent and used bold colours that gave the paintings a unique appearance. He apply vivacious colours in his own way, the pleasing hues of green, red, yellow and ochre well balanced the dark gloomy and bright white women figures. Each painting has a detail composition harmonious to the reflections of his thoughts.
He has taken old concepts and evolved them into unique ideas. The treatment, tones and values of his paintings portrayed deep soothing and absorbing thoughts. Some moments away from the real world, deviating from the usual and entering the new world - a world of distinctive sensation and visual appeal. An unseen energy was felt while having an eye contact with his paintings. The alluring female images reflecting again and again on the canvas create a melody of its own. The crystalline geometrical shapes gave a new angle to his work.
The tales of emotions and reactions of different events unfold on his canvases showing endurance by women through the veiled and unveiled compositions. Figures mingled with symbols depict human complexities and unspoken emotions. He discussed fundamental questions about the role of women in our society, her behaviours and others behaviour towards her. He captured various contemplative moods and expressions of women and thus shared their expressive moments.
He painted female figures mostly because the subject inspired him the most. The vibrant, colourful figurative forms dominated his canvases. He provided an insight of moments faced by women because of societal, mental, physical or cultural constraints which they could not express.
The intense emotions portrayed in his works in vibrant colours create stimulation because of its fragile beauty. He painted bold figures, busts and bodies halved or full length figures sitting, lying and standing in bright and light colours. He barely leaves any empty space on the canvas and paints every corner with bold strokes of oranges, reds, bright yellows and greens which also symbolises in a way the colourful veil those women has wrapped around them in order to hide their real miseries.
His artworks showed transparency and third dimension in an idealistic landscape which revealed his subconscious. Devoid of lines he painted the full figure of women silhouettes against the soft and pale sometimes bright backgrounds.
While going through his new series of paintings one felt each and every mood, experience and feelings of a woman he painted on his canvas. His splendid portrayal of female body structure showed his command and knowledge about the anatomy of female body. The women figures in his paintings gave a feeling of metallic sculptures. Although he used bold and thick colour layers he managed to bring out transparency which is his dexterity and virtuosity.
Manifesting forms in shadows he created an aura of mystery. Through women figures he captured the emotional phases of women, light and bright as well as dull and boring. With casual elegance mostly faceless female figures made statements through their silence. The faceless voluptuous figures showed that woman has no identity. Every woman has the same situations and conditions to encounter in her life.
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