Of ‘Angels or Demons’

Munir Ahmed

The contemporary miniatures by Lahore-based artist Akbar Ali brings the actualities of the global village, and the realities that come with it as a change in the human behaviours. The exhibition of his artwork titled ‘Angels or Demons’ opened at the Khaas Art Gallery Tuesday.

Ali has played successfully with the tonal variations of pallet and lines to portray the inner-selves of people of our society – that is on the gateway of global inspirations and influences.

In many ways, his characters are on the same place at a certain time, but they seemingly remain indifferent to each other. No signs of communication, however, are evident between the two characters in the case of his ‘couple series’. Through different compositions, Ali has aspired to take the art enthusiasts to a voyage of the void.

Some of his large-size miniatures in particularly are reflective of the face-off the society go through in the fast-changing value-system. His strength of ‘line’ and treatment speak of Ali’s skilful genius. The precise details in the smaller miniatures and the use of negative and positive spaces have made his art pieces a teat to watch.

His aspirations in creative pursuits are inspired by the renowned artist Jameel Naqsh.

Ali Akbar is one of the brightest young stars to have emerged on the scene in recent years. An artist trained in the miniature tradition, Akbar graduated in Fine Arts from the National College of Art with honours in 2008, but his experience, and initiative far outreaches the boundaries of an art institution.

Art critic Marjorie Husain says, “I first encountered him in the mid 1990s at Jamil Naqsh’s home in Karachi. He was in his early teens, a boy determined to make his way in art and in common with Naqsh. Akbar Ali imbibed the discipline of the miniature tradition with the aspiration to continue the classic art from with a contemporary viewpoint and revitalize the exquisite art form.

“From childhood Akbar was fascinated by the `line’. He drew and practiced calligraphy learnt from signboard writers in his area. His vocation has been fuelled and directed from many of the country’s leading artists.”

In Rahim Yar Khan, he met up with the artist Chitra who impressed by Akbar’s work, invited him to join him in Karachi. Chitra was a student of Jamil Naqsh and in Karachi he introduced Akbar Ali to the maestro. Though he was a student of Science at the Kairpur University, Akbar met and took advice from the city’s senior artists.

In 2003, he left his studies and left for Lahore where he was fortunate to be guided by R M Naeem before taking admission at the National College of Arts (NCA) in 2004.

The four years at NCA gave Akbar the experience he sought; he referred to the institute as a ‘heaven for arts’. Eager to learn more of the world, he found a studio of his own in 2005, and revamped it as a gallery/café.

There he ran classes and enjoyed meeting a diverse group of people. His ability soon caught the attention of his teachers and he was involved as part of a team assisting Jamal Shah on a large permanent sculpture project for the Tokyo Expo Centre (TEC). He was one of the team assisting Ustad Basheer Ahmed in a roof-based painting for the Centre. The energy and capacity for work saw that the artist did not neglect his class projects.

His paintings were included in exhibitions in London, as well as Lahore and Islamabad. Ali Akbar’s work was selected for an exhibition titled ‘Sacred Marks and Spaces’ held at the Gallery 11, Bradford University, UK.

Acclaimed and sought out as an exciting young talent, Ali’s work is unique. Observing diverse facets of his experience and surroundings, he expresses a viewpoint that encompasses spiritual, emotional, and corporeal issues in work of great beauty and distinction, says Marjorie Husain.

Published in daily Dateline Islamabad, December 28, 2011