Islamabad: Line Green Gallery has opened Khadijah Azhar’s second solo exhibition “To You”. Curated by Alina Akbar, the exhibition featured works created using Khadijah’s Stacid, a technique invented by Khadijah to layer paint on stainless steel using acid.
Alina says: It means a lot to me and to the artist. Our aim is to share our creative energy in cities and communities. This is a fairly new space and we want it to be a place where people can come in, mingle and have conversations. The idea is to make art accessible and help build a visual vocabulary for all of us. ”
She added:
The brave body of work consists of drawings, digital prints and large stacid works that focus on mental health and Khadijah’s own experiences with mental health awareness and wellness.
In monochrome graphite drawings, she recorded her inner dialogue. This imagery revolves around the ongoing practice of interacting with oneself and de-layering the reasons and causes behind the slow deterioration and rebuilding of health. Metal painting incorporates layers of meaning in its use of motifs, color and scale.
Khadijah incorporates symbolism, metaphors, and thematic color palettes to express and emphasize a journey of rebirth and a prayer for peace. Nature’s symbols and what they absorb have become sources of comfort and guidance, like the dragonfly representing change, the octopus representing resilience and rebirth, and the hummingbird symbolizing eternity.
Mr Khadijah said: I was writing down my ideas. I made a pencil drawing and even prepared her sheet of steel, but she didn’t start painting until Alina pushed me to do this show. ”
She said, “This series is based on mental health. I’ve been through a lot of different issues over the years, but for a long time I’ve been very reserved, letting my feelings and thoughts go inside. For years, it was my norm to present a positive image in the midst of internal conflict.Last year was a turning point and I focused on getting myself back.”
She spoke of the spiritual journey she took in tandem with her discovery of the symbol of rebirth, describing her new body of work as essentially prayers, fragments of faith and hope.
With this exhibition, she aims to generate conversations about the relevance of mental health. This was successful as young people flocked to the opening.
Irum Zahra says: After hearing the artist talk about her work, we found she could empathize with going through mental health issues, childhood trauma, and difficult times. I think it depicts what a lot of people are going through. I believe that each of us should have a creative outlet to keep ourselves healthy. ”
Maham Batur says: There are many people who have gone through so many hardships that we all can relate to. Those words were so powerful that I wanted to go see the exhibition again. ”
Published at dawn on January 1, 2023
