Work of Karachi-based acclaimed artist Shakil Saigol was displayed at an exhibition organised by the Tanzara Gallery in Islamabad on Thursday. People from various walks of life attended the exhibition to see the artistic aesthetics of the renowned artist of Karachi. The artist shared with the attendees that in his adolescent years, he started sketching portraits of his class mates as the subject. “I enjoyed painting, but most of my subjects were the human form, not so obvious to me back then. I was clearly on my way to becoming a figurative artist.” Saigol says art has no border or religion, but unfortunately some masses want to limit space for art. “When I present my work before the audience, I get positive response as well but some people label it as Hindu or Sikh art. To such sentiments, my response is always straightforward. Before partition, we have been living together for thousands of years.” In response to a question by one of the attendees, Saigol said the artistic aesthetics of the sub-continent are common and shouldn’t be divided into categories of Muslim or Hindu art. “Dance has been a preoccupation in my work and I am unable to paint without meeting with these dancers across the sub-continent,” he added. When asked if space is shrinking for arts in Pakistan, he replied that this is indeed true because in first phase the art suffered due to partition as it was labeled Hindu and Muslim art and today the serious threats to art is a extremist tendencies among the society. Abhinaya (an Alphabet of anguish and ecstasy) in today work body I presented Jamavar Shawals, provide a black drop while surrealistic form in the foreground is suggested. To those critics of my art practice who object to the diversity of subjects that I paint, I would say “the message may vary but the elements that run through the various series are consistent. I would also say that there are innumerable unpainted images in my imaginations, in my twilight years. I am impatient to put them on paper of canvas,” he said. Noshi Qadir of the Tanzara Gallery told Abhainaya is a strong and definitive body of work that transcends boundaries. The artist rich aesthetics vocabulary and evocatively combines traditional imagery with a powerful contemporary disposition and in this exhibition the artist focuses on the myriad form of Abhinaya for inspirations. Published in Daily Times, March 30th 2018.