A two person show titled ‘A Wanderer’s Archive’ was recently held at Koel Gallery in Karachi. Exhibiting their works at this show were Shameen Arshad from Islamabad and Shanzay Subzwari from Karachi, both Fine Art recipients of the Chevening scholarship, who developed this exhibition in remote collaboration.
About her work, Shanzay Subzwari stated, " Influenced by my training in Mughal Miniature painting and inspired by popular culture, my artwork explores socio-political themes. I utilise elements from currency notes as a foundation, allowing me to construct my ideas within a contextual framework. While my exhibition at Koel Gallery in 2021 explored the darkness of a post-Covid world, my latest body of work denotes new beginnings and hope.
Symbolically, I incorporate the lotus, phoenix, and butterfly to represent re-awakenings and rebirth, while simultaneously addressing broader issues. My aim is to provoke critical thought and stimulate dialogue, encouraging viewers to reflect on the complexities of our society which is influenced by our past, and its potential for transformation. “
Shameen Arshad’s work is about the fluid nature of identity and the ever-evolving nature of being ‘Pakistani’. It stems from a confused sense of self and convoluted ideas of ownership and belonging stemming from a culture always in flux. She presents ‘Pakistani’ as a concoction of the east and west - a chaotic, rich, and emergent identity.
She contemplates it by deliberating over our tumultuous history, enduring legacies of colonialism, cultural imperialism, and transgenerational trauma. Based on her experiences of living in both Pakistan and the UK, she creates images that represent layers of time, space, and emotional states that reveal the fragile condition of our present haunted by our turbulent pasts.
Furthermore, she illustrates the feeling of living in the gap between two worlds - residing in a no man’s land, unable to call any place home. The images reveal stories and feelings of a perpetual vagabond, a sense of detachment, loss, uncertainty, anger and Hiraeth for one’s home country’s glorious past.
This exhibition displayed a mix of gouache (contemporary miniature) paintings by Shanzay Subzwari on archival prints of currency notes, as well as tapestries (both hand-painted and embroidered) by Shameen Arshad. It was a very well-received exhibition.
CAPTION
Shanzay Subzwari, A Gift from Heaven, Gouache on archival print, 5x3 inches, 2023Shanzay Subzwari, Your Destiny, Gouache on archival print, 5.2x2.7 inches, 2023
Shameen Arshad, Of Lifetimes, Fabric paint and acrylics on velvet fabric, 45 x 62.5 inches, 2023
Shameen Arshad, The Plague, Embroidery and fabric paint on jacquard fabric, 40 x 52 inches, 2023
They’re Everywhere, Fabric paint and hand embroidery on printed silk, 26.5 x 41 inches, 2023
As The Tale Was Told, 5ft x 3ft 4 inches (60x40 inches), Gouache on Arches paper, 2023