Written by: Sana Shahid
Posted on: February 06, 2023 | 
| 中文
Still life with Water Lilies - III
Amidst poetic and philosophical concepts, Irfan Cheema takes inspiration from his surroundings, nature, and heritage. ‘Florilegium’ is a celebration of exquisite artworks by the extremely talented artist, at Tanzara Gallery, Islamabad. Cheema has been living in China for the last two decades and has exhibited his works globally.
Cheema started painting at an early age and by the time he reached his thirties, oil painting had become an essential part of his everyday life. This body of work depicts the artist’s command over technique and leaves the audience awestruck. These artworks are the recent creations of Cheema from the year 2022, when the city of Shanghai faced yet another lockdown and more restrictions because of the pandemic. The floral patterns highlight that period of Cheema’s life when going to his small garden gave him an outlet during those rather gloomy circumstances. His garden kept him motivated and inspired him, resulting in this exhibition. Even though the works showcase rather simple objects like flowers, vases, and drapery, the way they have been depicted changes their whole perspective.
Still life with Nasturtiums - IV
The imagery is hyper-realistic, taking still life to a whole new dimension. Cheema has breathed life into these objects, and each painting is truly a reflection of the artist’s beautiful garden with different types of flowers. Besides the outstanding painting technique, the compositional sense further elaborates the expertise of the artist. Every artwork is individually composed with an impression of vases that are placed on a surface. To give the idea of a surface through highlights and shadows is a success for the artist, as the viewer can automatically imagine a pedestal underneath the object without it actually being there.
Still life with Sunflowers - I
Cheema resides in the beautiful city of Shanghai which is very apparent in his paintings; be it through the bright draped shawls, the figurines with regional facial features, or the blue patterns on the pots, planters, and vases. The shawls are the highlight of the works with their intricate patterns and designs. One can definitely make a connection between the famous Shanghai silk cloth and Cheema’s painted shawls.
Irfan Cheema with his family at the gallery
‘Still-life with Water Lillies – III’, is a beautiful blend of flowers, draped tapestry and a vase. When it comes to the patterns on the vases, they instantly remind the viewer of the culture of blue pottery from Multan, and one can relate to these patterns. Overall, the works resonate with the viewers and remind them how similarities between cultures impact the perception of an everyday object. Even though some of the vases have figurines painted on them with regional facial features, one can easily connect them to something from their own culture, like the blue pottery, and somehow the imagery doesn’t end up being an alien concept for the viewer. The tapestries absorb the viewer, and one feels the desire to keep exploring the patterns. It may be a two-dimensional work, but the depth is exceptional. The eye revolves around the whole canvas and gets lost in the complexity of the patterns.
‘Still Life with Water Lilies – V’ consists mainly of two key colors; Red and White. It’s refreshing to see such contrasting colors well-balanced in a composition, especially since the red drapery occupies most of the frame. The use of light to depict the shine in the cloth is also notable, as it makes one want to touch the soft, silky fabric. Cheema plays with the concept of light and shadow, which is prominent in all of his artworks.
Still life with Frangipani - III
Another significant element of the paintings are the flowers. Each one is painted in different colors, having multiple tones and shades that add an air of realism to the frame. The bright colors strike an interesting contrast with the heavily designed fabrics. Even though the imagery comprises minute details and often busy patterns, the overall aura is serene, balanced and peaceful, taking you a step closer to nature.
Still life with Pansies
A good example of this is ‘Still Life with Pansies’, in which Cheema has exquisitely blended yellows, blues, and purples in the flowers. None of these colors are dominant over another. The green of the leaves complements the bright yellow of the flowers, while providing a subdued backdrop. The ceramic set offers a stable base to the whole composition, despite it being a seemingly disrupted situation. This capability that Cheema has of balancing multiple objects, with varying colors, textures and positions is what brings his still-life art to life.
Tanzara gallery
Tanzara is among the most prominent art galleries in the twin cities. It’s admirable to see the gallery providing opportunities for overseas Pakistani artists to exhibit their art locally. This helps the artists stay connected to their roots, as well as make connections between differing cultures. The show opened on Thursday, the 2nd of February, 2023 and continues until the 9th of this month.
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