Written by: Muhammad Hamza
Posted on: May 06, 2025 | 
Flight of Deer in Fright (title) by Hooria Khan
In such modernistic times, the old techniques always seem to take over the newer ones. We find ourselves delving into the work of a few specific artists forming a storm together, hosted by Tanzara Art Gallery in Islamabad. All of the artworks resonated well with each other and complemented the different art styles and their respective concepts.
The art of staying in limbo is what Abida has always explored, and her compositions are consistently linked to tape work. The abstraction and chaos that emerge through her miniature patchwork using tape are truly one of a kind, immersing the viewer in multiple directions.
We exist in a constant state of transition, never fully arriving, never entirely departing. Her work alters the human mind, nudging it toward a certain perspective, only to pull it back again, participating in the process of moving forward through subtle abstraction in miniature patterns, including typography.
Pink Sea by Abida Darhi
‘Taana Baana’ is a signature that keeps the viewer in a constant state of limbo; the ‘Organised Chaos’ only gets better, or worse, each time one glances at it. It creates tension, urging the viewer to keep reading while simultaneously presenting an illusion of chaos, only to fade out in just a few lines by the end.
Where expressionism meets domestic figures, Ajea delves into the forms she observes around her. Her quickly drafted sketches are painted through the eye of someone who has traveled far and continues to evolve with newly emerging concerns. Her tapestry of figures and blunt brushstrokes are sourced from an animation-like perspective. The way the world has historically depicted men in domestic spaces and women as outgoing is reversed in her recent works, a compelling shift.
Need a Minute by Ajea Zahid
‘Need A Minute’ is a tale that speaks volumes at a single glance. The expression on the subject's face and the confident strokes only continue to refine themselves. A hint of vintage color palette adds depth, but it is the expression that forms the crux of the visual: a man sits on his bed, contemplating the viscosity of a fleeting moment. It’s not just his internal monologue but a subtle message to his own voice, the one that keeps him afloat.
Feroza Hakeem's protesting art screams louder than the quiet, hanging works around it. Her motivation stems from oppression, and her drive is genuinely inspiring. The war against peace becomes a symbol of humanity. The struggle is the greatest asset of one who fights for their family through art. Her gouache and ink painting of a woman surrounded by flowers is a powerful sign of strength and resilience. The detail reveals much of her internal language, a heart weighed down yet striving for peace and hope for the Hazara community.
Hazara Girl 7 (detail) by Feroza Hakeem
Travelling back in time through her artworks, drenched in vintage energy and created with the heart and soul of someone deeply immersed in creativity and contemporary poetry, Hooria focuses on the conversation between individuals and their environment. The detail in Mirror of Imitation speaks for itself. The bespoke inks and materials radiate the essence of a soul that has travelled back in time to bring forth that energy. Her work is a dialogue, humans without words, figures without movement, a powerful symbol of beautifying and honoring the spirit within her, which has matured with age. The heirloom materials she’s collected serve as both source and inspiration.
Mirror of Imitation by Hooria Khan
A visual artist like Irfan can only bring us into a realization of existing within creative imagination, a parallel world where our desires and dreams are true and the motive is pure. He showcases the hidden world beneath our reality, where fairies and supernatural beings live, a place children long for, especially in the chaos of their own imaginations. His artwork is a sheer reflection of what can be achieved when one dares to think deeply, a glimpse into a world shaped by the mind.
In the Quiet Between Us 1 by Irfan Gul Darhi
It’s like a daydream that continues through the night, a sadness that melts into our visuals and forms a blob placed on canvas. Khadija’s impression of her own imagination is powered by years of navigating depressive episodes, now giving way to a wide array of emotions. Her artwork grows and evolves while remaining still. Elements of flora and fauna combine with a few human figures. Domestic objects take center stage. Her paintings offer a trip to a dimension alien to our world, a psychedelic trance for both artist and viewer.
Night Encounter by Khadija S. Akhtar
The heart gets what it wants. Living with self-awareness in a soft, simulated world influenced by the wise is Zafar’s way of life, which he portrays through his artworks. Each intricate detail carries historic significance, allowing viewers to experience a realm known only to the chosen few.
Zafar holds a unique perspective on the higher self, with the ability to draw energy from every lived experience of the wise. His miniature-style figures, along with imagined creatures that exist only within his heart and soul, create a visual conversation between self and the divine. It’s a pursuit of love and understanding, an ongoing quest for insight through the teachings of Sufism, the visual language of divine wisdom. His bespoke color palette only amplifies this essence.
The Garden of Saints (detail) by Zafar Ali
The world is too shy to speak of such narratives, to channel the energy of intricate matters that demand both a humble heart and an open mind. Artists like these help shape a better perspective. This exhibition bore witness to that.
There’s always going to be something better, we just don’t know when, what, or how. Yet a longing keeps us afloat.
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