ISLAMABAD, Nov 22 (APP): A young and dynamic art platform, OffGrid on Wednesday unveiled its first public exhibition, “Bamboo Reverie, A Creative Residency Journey,” at the National Art Gallery in Islamabad. It aimed to explore the deep connection between humans and nature, going beyond the surface to understand how we see ourselves as part of the natural world. OffGrid is a very young platform with an experienced team of dynamic artists who presented their first event to the public.
The event was inaugurated by the Federal Minister of Culture Jamal Shah and the central theme of this exhibition was the blend of wilderness and creativity. The exhibition brought Offgrid on the grid as the location was the thalweg of the green Chattar Valley with little connectivity. The OffGrid residency was attended by eleven artists; Akhter Iqbal, Shumaila Rashid, Faiza Gondal, Geytee Ara, Lubna Jehangir, Qurat Ul Ain, Salma Manzoor, Shahidi, Shahrukh Baqi, Shahzeb Ahmed, Sidra Ashraf, and Zarrar Haider Babary. The group represented accomplished and amateur artists, showing the diversity in the medium, concept and execution.
The exhibition is curated by Geytee Ara, a seasoned art educationist, who has been instrumental in initiating the platform OffGrid and bringing this exhibition on the grid. According to her, the Residency Chapter 1, aimed to delve into the profound connection between humans and nature, transcending surface-level observations. The famed artists expressed their dreams, memories, behaviours, and roles about nature. The exhibition reflects their fusion of inner realms and experiences with nature, emphasizing individual work while fostering critical support among participants.
This experience has been so encouraging that it will continue to be a biannual feature. The group of artists enchanted by the surroundings, an experience that is rare in city life executed their works with their perspective. Geytee’s residency experience is depicted with a focus on the bright sun as a philosophical symbol. The sun represents clarity, enlightenment, and the enduring cycle of life. Its radiance illuminates life’s dualities, challenges, and the pursuit of understanding. The terrace view at dusk symbolizes the beauty in transitions, reflecting on impermanence and cyclical existence. The egrets’ dance becomes a metaphor for harmony, diversity, and the interconnected rhythms of all living things.
Nature’s adaptation is celebrated, emphasizing resilience and the infinite beauty in life’s ever-changing palette and together, these elements invite contemplation on the profound aspects of existence in the natural world. Nature’s adaptation, characterized by variability and flexibility, is celebrated as a vibrant palette reflecting its infinite beauty. In her series “Kairos,” Lubna Jehangir explores the opportune time related to divine time, a concept free from the constraints of conventional time.
The Off Grid Studio Residency provided her with the perfect moment to realign her mind and heart, restoring a calm rhythm and creating a perpetual trance-like feeling. Her works, showcased here, were crafted during the residency, embodying Mahmoud Darwish’s lines from “Loose one of your Stars,” capturing the mysterious and lucid nature of existence. Shahzeb’s series, “Alternative Maktab,” portrays a parallel dimension where life restarts with the first winter rain after summer hibernation, giving form to different emotions. The work revolves around the paradoxical connection of inner and outer self, exploring the enigma of one’s own identity.
Each image, frame, and colour absorbed in the creative process unveils a tiny part of the mystery that is ‘you.’ Salma’s work captures the intricate details around her, illuminated by the sun. Observing people, and landscapes, and experiencing the profound silence of nature, her art allows her to embody her role as “the nature gazer.” Sidra’s “Undulating Waves of Existence” seamlessly blends the surrounding environment with her exploration of surfaces in her residency work. The off-grid setting’s vibrant colours and dynamic movements mirror the ebb and flow of life’s thoughts and events, reflected in her marbling techniques. The undulating waves of water serve as a backdrop for crafting unique images that reflect the diverse rhythms of existence. Faiza, using traditional Wasli for miniature art, captures “DIVINE’S SERENITY,” illustrating nature’s interaction with the soul.
Her miniature paintings incorporate Sufi elements, symbolically using pigeons to convey Sufi thought. The mesmerizing curves of the Chatter trees inspire her to unfold uncharted concepts of femininity and Sufism. Akhtar Iqbal’s “Dance with Life’s Echoes” pays homage to his departed dog through twig-like lines, engaging in a dance with life’s echoes. Bamboo, symbolizing resilience, weaves this heartfelt tribute in Chattar’s sanctuary—an ode to the beauty of memory and nature. Shahidi, encompasses a diverse range of themes in his work, primarily focusing on existentialism, peace, freedom, life, and the deeper meaning of existence.
Recognized as a painter, interior designer, architect, and 3D painting artist. For this residency Iqbal and Ghalib became his directional force, selected verses are presented in colours. Shahrukh is a Karachi-based artist, productive by turning to forms; designs, decorative arts, and art education. The core objective of his multi-artistic activity is to satisfy the creative urge that generates an underline dialogue that goes on within and around. His palette and subject play with form symbolically. The conceptualization and realization are in purely aesthetic language.
His canvases are part of the ‘Tana Bana’ series. Embarking on an exploration of the harmonious interplay of water elements, Quratulain’s work delves into the captivating symphony of aqua aesthetics through reflective nuances, it aims to evoke a profound sense of divine connection, unveiling a serene dance of fluidity and tranquility that mirrors the ethereal within and without. Her experimental interactive installation is interesting to watch. For Zarar the Residency became a canvas for capturing the elusive beauty and hidden stories within these majestic plants. The clouds, the drizzle, and the towering bamboo became my companions in this creative journey, offering inspiration at every turn.
“Bamboo Reverie: A Creative Residency Journey” unfolds against the backdrop of clouds, drizzle, and the enchanting presence of bamboo. Zarar during this artistic exploration found hidden faces and melodies of the bamboos come to life under the cover of clouds, continuing a tradition that has mesmerized artists throughout history. The exhibition is a must-see for contemporary art enthusiasts and is open to the public for a week, it explores the central theme of the blend of wilderness and creativity.
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