Written by: Jovita Alvares
Posted on: January 11, 2019 | 
| 中文
In the absence of by R.M. Naeem
She stands; her back to the audience, perfectly centred amidst an obscure, gradated background. Her body is bare and before her a silhouette looms over; a cold and colourless void. Her skin is supple and delicate. Her dark hair, loosely braided, is wrapped around her neck like a noose; each strand visible.
This unclothed beauty and many similar to her, appear in a recent solo exhibition at Sanat Initiative by artist R.M. Naeem. Internationally renowned, Naeem is a true master of his craft. Since his graduation from the National College of Arts in Lahore, Naeem has participated in innumerable exhibitions and art festivals across the globe. He has also been a participant in several international art residencies. Along with being an assistant professor at NCA, Naeem promotes art through education at his studio- Studio RM. In 2008, the Studio RM international residency was initiated. His work was also awarded with various scholarships and awards, and can be found in private collections around the world.
From the expert use of composition, the realistic drawing of figure, perspective and background, right to the minute detailing of a fold of cloth and loose strand of hair, Naeem’s recent exhibition was in a league on its own. The artist presented a fresh body of work that was dominated by hues of blue and black, each housing a human form. He cleverly kept compositions and focal points in mind, allowing the eye to survey the canvas, as one section of the painting directed the eye to the next, eventually leading it to the main figure.
Using seemingly ordinary people, Naeem manages to make each piece relatable and therefore, invites the audience to peer through its underlying tales. Even the use of non-descript backgrounds allow the paintings to be situated anywhere, and thereby each painting embodies a sense of universality. The powerful form of the nude appears in Naeem’s works as mere objects of symbolism, bringing with them connotations of sexuality and naturalness. The use of directly contrasting nude and clothed forms in the paintings perhaps hints at ideas of freedom and suppression.
The female form dominates Naeem’s oeuvre. Moving through the exhibition, each painting appears to be a stage of a woman’s journey that comes together to give the audience a final story. Beginning from the painting ‘In the Absence of” where the biblical tale of the first sin, the disobedience of Adam and Eve is depicted. There is a realisation that Eve was created as a companion for Adam, the man and ever since then, the female’s existence and her actions have been determined by him. A man and woman also appear in the painting ‘In the Presence of’ but here they stand modestly covered and heads bowed unlike the preceding piece. In fact, apart from Eve, all the women are painted with bowed heads, perhaps a gesture of acceptance or a pose imposed on them due to years of male subjugation.
Another interesting repetition is that of the woman with a cube, perhaps bringing to light the confined roles and expectations women have to still live it, be it a completely dismembered hexahedron in ‘Unwrapped’ or physically put in a box like ‘Within/Without.’ In other paintings, such as ‘Submission,’ the artist shows the female, eyes closed and head lowered to a phallic object. Though shown as one who has accepted her fate, one realises that the multiple paintings ultimately display the woman as resilient and looking for freedom as seen in the paintings ‘Contemplation’ and ‘Emancipation.’ In the latter work, a woman dives into the vast sea with a serene and open landscape materialising in the background.
‘Revisit’ was curated by artist cum curator, Muhammad Zeeshan. Known for making a splash with eccentric ideas, both in his practice and curation, Zeeshan was given the opportunity to curate the show of his former teacher, an artist Zeeshan says he will, ‘willing(ly) empty (his) pockets for..’
‘Revisit’ is displayed at Sanat Initiative, Karachi from 8th January to 17th January, 2019.
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