Cais Gallery Tomorrow-Feb 14 Named after the first passenger train between Pakistan and mainland China - proposed in 2007 but yet to be approved - the Havelian Express, a new exhibition at Cais Gallery, aims to provide a metaphorical link between the two countries whose histories are intertwined through centuries of artistic dialogue, influence and nomadic incursion. According to guest curator Whitney Ferrare, vestiges of Persian, Mughal and Indus Valley civilisations can be seen on the mainland, from the first mosque built in the Tang dynasty, to Buddhist art and blue ceramic floral motifs from the Yuan dynasty. This group show - featuring works by Hasnat Mehmood, Muhammad Zeeshan and Imran Channa - looks 'beyond the domestic potent climate' of social and political conflicts, says Ferrare. The works carry 'an immense beauty with the hope of serving as cultural ambassador to present a more nuanced picture of Pakistan', the curator says. 'Each artist defies and reinterprets the oeuvre in remarkably intricate and complementary minimalist styles while inviting the audience into a critically charged debate over the accuracy of historical accounts and paying homage to time-honoured traditions,' she says. Mehmood's tranquil imagery questions the role of the artist in society by offering moments of contemplation. 'Appropriating images from the Kangra School Pahari paintings, Mehmood juxtaposes his sound figurative abilities and explores the parameters of miniature art through geometric scrolls,' Ferrare says. Zeeshan layers graphite on coarse sandpaper to give life to shimmering silhouettes (above). 'The two dimensionality of his work [carries] the same intonations of miniature paintings, but are a stark contrast to the light and colourful traditional scripts of the 16th century,' Ferrare says. Channa offers a contemporary interpretation of the art form by creating digitalised works dissected from the official book of Mughal history, the Badshahnama. If the perspective of one man solely guided the book, how can one trust the accuracy of a pre-scripted and determined history, the artist asks. 'A refreshing twist in contextual subject matter offers the viewer a modern-day interpretation of painterly form,' says Ferrare. U/G, 54 Hollywood Rd, Central. Mon-Fri, 10am-7pm; Sat, 11am-3pm. Inquiries: 2527 7798
