A solo show at Ocean Art Gallery exhibiting the works of Ishtiaq Sandhu examines the reciprocal relationship between individuals and worlds they inhabit, revealing how place shapes identify and, in turn, is shaped by human presence.

Through a dialogue between portraiture and landscape, the works trace quiet narratives of belonging, memory and self.

Claire Kupier shares, “working in oils and acrylics in a rich earthy palette, surfaces may be built up with texture or applied deftly to suggest a form and reveal the canvas beneath the image. Disembodied female heads with expressions of quiet melancholy and grade seem to be suspended in space, left behind after oppressive acts. They beseech us, what is honour? The human form, weathered and elemental, floating in the void suggest surrender and the timelessness of suffering that every generation endures. Minimalistic depiction of landscape forms a bird’s eye view take us to Ishtiqa’s current home in Australia of red dirt golden fields and the sparse jewels of water and trees in a harsh yet beautiful environment.”

Through many of his works one notices that there is a quiet introspection, rendered by softened contours and expressive shifts of colours. The tilt of the head and closed eyes suggest inward reflection, while visible brushwork is suggestive of emotional depth. Suspended against a muted background, the figures appear detached from time and place, inviting contemplation of vulnerability, memory and the inner life of the subject.

His works reveal the human figure as a space of reflection and emotional resonance, where gesture, colour and form articulate states of introspection and belonging.

CAPTION
Oil on canvas, 27 x 31 inches
Oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches
Oil on canvas, 24 x 27 inches
Oil on canvas, 33 x 36 inches
Oil on canvas, 30 x 26 inches
Oil on canvas, 24 x 26 inches
Oil on canvas, 30 x 32 inches