Written by: Sana Shahid
Posted on: March 16, 2023 | 
| 中文
(L to R) Shaam and A Flicker in The Night I
‘Women are at the source of everything’ said Khadija Rehman at the opening of her solo exhibition at Line Green Studio. Women have often been the source of inspiration in art for centuries, be it their bodies and aesthetics or the objectification associated with them. The concept of depicting women in art is infinitely layered, with many ideas to be explored and questions to be answered.
Rasam
Khadija Rehman also sheds light on women while associating them with spellbinding qualities. Rehman creates a magical realm for women where no one can invade their personal space, and where they are represented in a surreal manner. The artist has highlighted South Asian women and taken inspiration from youthful images of women around her. Even though the pictures are decades old, Rehman has converted them into beautiful pieces of art. The imagery can be considered a testimony to the societal pressures associated with women worldwide, especially in South Asia. Yet, Rehman has shifted the focus to the magical aspect of being a woman. Instead of emphasizing the negatives, the artist has visualized how women generate their own sacred spaces, taking ownership of what they surround themselves with. Even though women have the power of birthing and nurturing a new life, the role of a mother can be demanding and draining.
Faanoos
The existence of organic elements like leaves, birds, trees, flowers, moon, sky and the stars with the female figures showcases the fantastical space they have produced for themselves. These women are portrayed as having empty expressions, establishing the reality of how life entirely drains out energy, sometimes with all the powers that women possess. Rehman is narrating multiple stories of women around her, linking them to a wider audience to make a general connection. Although the works shed light on the realities of life, the artworks with their illustrative quality are pleasing to look at and spread a sense of positivity. The people can perceive the imagery however they want, with a highly robust narrative to keep in view.
Daawat
The surrealistic feel of the works, the bold colours, embroideries, symbols from nature and the night effect, all of it comes together to present the audience with some extraordinary pieces. Rehman combines digital art with a miniature technique ‘gouache’, while flawlessly balancing compositions. She considers women as magical creatures who give birth and create something out of nothing. This show revolves around creating a sacred space for women which gives them a chance to contemplate and live however they feel fit. Rehman has depicted various elements of Mughal and Persian Miniature paintings in her works, from multiple types of birds to a sword, intricate patterns and clouds. Even the perspective follows the same pattern as seen in traditional miniature paintings.
All the pieces in this series have been given unique titles that raises questions for the viewer while trying to understand the story. Each artwork hints at a cultural issue, but Rehman has subtly presented her own narrative to the world. The works are provocative in an intangible manner, which is the beauty of her expressionism. Rehman has also challenged time constraints in her imaginative realm, where two or three instances of the same woman are depicted in a singular frame. The backgrounds mainly show the night sky, which the artist refers to as the third character, besides the figures and organic elements. According to Rehman, this symbolizes a time that is contemplative, away from everyone’s eyes and all the distractions of daily life.
Shaadi Mubarik
‘Khush Amdeed’ is a painting with a woman standing in a frontal position with her eyes sort of gazing at the viewer with a vacant expression. Two parrots are sitting on the woman’s shoulders, one of which is in a position of taking the fortune out of her dupatta, connecting it to the reality of women who are always expected to be poised, collected and welcoming while their human aspect is overlooked. The woman’s eyes are directly enquiring about the invasion of her private space, signifying the importance of privacy as well as raising awareness of how women are supposed to do everything with discretion.
Another intriguing painting is ‘Talwar’, where Rehman has illustrated a sword passing through a woman’s head. Even though the concept of passing the sword through the head sounds gruesome, but the imagery is quite pleasing to look at instead of being grotesque. Rehman finds beauty in violence, and associates it with how women have often been the reason behind wars and battles.
Talwaar
A person with great imagination and execution skills is able to achieve such a quality exhibition, and the artist has definitely shown immense talent and creativity. The curator, Alina Akbar, is single-handedly managing and continuing such high-quality shows, focusing on diverse concepts and genres. Both Akbar and Rehman are the forces behind this successful exhibit, further conveying the idea of women being a source of creativity.
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