Written by: Jovita Alvares
Posted on: October 03, 2018 | 
| 中文
Camel Man by Syed Faraz Ali
The recent opening at Koel Gallery showcased a new body of work by Pakistani artist, Syed Faraz Ali. Living and working between Karachi and Sydney, Ali’s work is the culmination of a Master’s programme from the National Art School in Sydney. Prior to this, the artist participated in innumerable group and solo exhibitions, and his career, spanning over 10 years, also includes teaching.
Titled, ‘The Bartered Co-Resident,’ the artist presented a multi-disciplinary oeuvre that emerged from his research and studio practice. The work revolves around the concept of the hybrid–identity of two nations, Australia and Afghanistan, and how their intertwined history is romanticized to create a ‘synthetic culture,’ which brings to light the underlying reality of the situation.
The first camels came to Australia from Afghanistan (present-day Karachi) in the 1830s and along with them came their Afghani handlers. This was considered the starting point of the countries’ inter-relations. This, in turn, led to an influx of both camels and Afghan migrants, resulting in various Afghani groups in Australia, each equipped with their own leader. The camel was sent to the country to aid in the growth of the Australian civilization, which it did. However, the foreigners themselves should also be highly credited for the growth of the Australian outback. Whole communities, mining establishments and well-known explorations into the interior, would not have been possible without the Afghan migrants. These ‘pilots of the deserts’ helped with the construction of numerous developmental projects including the Overland Telegraph Line and the Great Northern Railway Line, and they even acted as guides through the vast expanses.
Eventually, the introduction of motor vehicles in the 1920s left the camels purposeless and abandoned, resulting in the massive population of feral camels present today in Australia. Through the history of the animal, Ali discusses the pervasion of hegemony on the Afghan-diaspora through a self-created myth presented in his visuals.
One of the recurring motifs in the artist’s work is that of the Australian national emblem for the Coats of Arms, which symbolises the six states of the Commonwealth of Australia. The official symbol displays a kangaroo and an emu, surrounding a shield of the six states. In Ali’s work, however, the emu slowly fades into a side-profile of a camel as can be seen in the diptych ‘Decoy’. This is further re-iterated in the stamped black and ochre chips as well as in ‘Dematerialization’ where the emblem slowly fades with each repetitive stamp.
Exploration of Australian inlands would not be possible without the camel, making it the backbone of the country. Ali visualizes this forgotten maxim, through ‘Kanmel’ where the beast subtly morphs into the map of Australia. The artist creates an interesting dialogue for the viewer, as he places both a ‘fresh’ and hollow skull of a camel’s head in the gallery space. It could possibly present the realization that the animal (and people) have been present in this country over centuries, but instead has been neglected, even considered as a pest in some villages. In ‘Decoy II’ while the signs for the koala, wombat and kangaroo shimmer in gold paint; the sign for the camel is left to rust in the corner.
The camel becomes such a strong metaphor of the afghan diaspora that in one painting, the frontal view of the animal’s head overlaps a human portrait, dressed in a suit, so much so that at first glance, the portrait appears as a distorted, anthropomorphic figure.
Living between two cities often opens up new viewpoints for its residents. The artist’s knowledge and intriguing imagery, presented a unique body of work for its audiences, which created great interest through the levels of creation that could result from a local viewpoint.
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