ARTnotes

THE GARDEN OF IDEAS

One and Other. 2013

           Printmaker, Atif Khan, is one of six contemporary artists
from Pakistan whose work is on view in the exhibition "Garden

 of Ideas"  until January 18, 2014, at the Aga  Khan Museum.  According to  the excellent notes on this show, in Islamic mythology the rose  formed from a drop of sweat that fell from Mohammed's forehead as

 he strove to attain Paradise.
            Atif  Khan, like the other artists in this show presents us with a paradox: the insects, part of  the lovely garden,  imply  crowding, mortality, destruction. The sensation of ants crawling brings the stylized rose garden intensely to life. Other prints use geometric patterns to organize the insect hordes into mandalas and arabesques. A sculpture in brass and wood is an immense stamp.

      I was able to take these photographs of digital prints of his work because Khan  made a stacked square pile of four images and invited the gallery-goer to take one each. As you can see, I helped myself to more. 

       Aisha Khalid uses traditional Islamic patterns and motifs  to explore female identity and issues facing women in a suite of fifty paintings. Burkas merge with patterned walls, furniture, curtains. Curtains become a recurring and potent motif.

      Imran Qureshi's superb miniatures are not to be missed.I reveled in the exquisite beauty of his landscapes, even as I was confronted with the reality of ecological devastation; the paradox of beauty and destruction again!
        All six artists  work with the traditions of Islamic art to address contemporary issues. This is a must see exhibition