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    Art Review: Fictional Homelands by Aqeel Solangi at Chawkandi Art Gallery, Karachi

    Written by: Jovita Alvares
    Posted on: March 01, 2019 | | 中文

    (L-R) Untitled 2014 and The Enigma of a Familiar Place 2010-12

    Chawkandi Art Gallery concluded the month of February with ‘Fictional Homelands,’ a solo exhibition of works by artist Aqeel Solangi. The show displays several pieces from the past ten years (2008-2018) of the artist’s career, and is curated by Aasim Akhtar. Along with the display, a monograph on Solangi was also presented, which covered his decade long journey in detail, and was written by the curator.

    Untitled 2012

    Untitled 2012

    Solangi was born in Ranipur, Sindh where he started his artistic endeavours, by working as a sign and cinema board painter at Mehboob Painters in Khairpur. Later, he also attended art courses at renowned artist Mussarat Mirza’s studio in Sukkur. In 2003, he graduated from the prestigious National College of Arts (NCA), Lahore, followed by his first Master’s degree in Visual Arts, in 2005. He later went on to receive a Masters in Fine Art from the Bath School of Art and Design, Bath Spa University, UK in 2016. In the past, the artist was the recipient of Charles Wallace Pakistan Trust Visiting Artist Fellowship for the Prince’s School of Traditional Arts, London in 2006. Since then, he has been teaching at NCA, Rawalpindi as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Fine Arts. Solangi’s work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally. He currently lives and works in Rawalpindi, where he also conducts drawing and painting classes at Studio Aqeel Solangi.

    To date, this exhibition appears to be the most in depth exploration of the artist’s oeuvre and exploring the gallery, one notices the similarities and evolution in the artist’s work overtime. Solangi has managed to maintain and develop his own unique style that was evident throughout the gallery. Alongside, an interesting colour scheme also seems to emerge; Solangi’s colour palette was also enhanced by the refreshing choice of repainted walls of the gallery, which went from a bland white to rich reds and blues.

    The Cypresses and Untitled 2018

    The Cypresses and Untitled 2018

    Solangi’s work is affected by circumstance. Be it the people surrounding him, or the objects, the artist manages to capture their tales with depth and intensity in each painting. Flowers seem to be a sort of lifeline for the artist, as he explains, and therefore have continued to be explored over the years. Solangi also adds other elements to his body of work such as clouds and stones; forms which have helped in its development.

    Untitled 2014

    Untitled 2014

    His pieces are sublimely surrealistic. Though rooted in some way in the real world, Solangi manages to take the viewer on a journey of fantasy and intrigue, all with the help of dexterous strokes on a two dimensional surface. Much of his recent imagery comes from found images and photographs, but by mystifying his visuals with his own impressive style and thought process, the artist creates a space that the viewer may believe to be true but in actuality, it is nothing more than a fictional painting.

    Untitled 2016

    Untitled 2016

    Other themes and symbols have also reappeared in his work over the years. South Asian Literature seems to affect his works at various stages, and this can clearly be seen in the narrative quality of each of his paintings. Solangi secures himself in the art world as a visual story teller; one who is adept with the world and its phenomena, and uses his knowledge to present a new world, full of intrigue and illusion for his audience.

    The exhibition continues daily until Tuesday, 12th March, 2019.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021