An enthralling exhibition at ArtOne62 paid homage to the Pakistani cinema. The participating artists showcased an array of beautiful works, posters
An enthralling exhibition at ArtOne62 paid homage to the Pakistani cinema. The participating artists showcased an array of beautiful works, posters and prints.
Commercial art, sometimes referred to as applied or design art, encompasses a wide array of creative expressions used primarily for commercial purposes. These can include graphic design, advertising, illustration, product design, and more – in our own context, this form of art is ubiquitous as a transformational form of the crafts that are employed in the decoration of diverse utilitarian objects. However, while it often serves a utilitarian function, commercial art cannot be dismissed as mere commercialism devoid of artistic value. Commercial art has a distinctive role in our conception of art, and its significance should not be understated. We can appreciate its significance by investigating its position within the broader context of artistic expression.
At the foundation of our conception of art lies fine art, which encompasses painting, sculpture, and other forms of artistic expression intended primarily for aesthetic appreciation. Fine art has long been regarded as the purest form of artistic expression, and it sets the standard against which all other forms of art are measured. This traditional bedrock of art provides the ideal to which many aspire. Along with this, commercial art occupies a unique position in the sequence of art forms. Unlike fine art, which is created primarily for the sake of its own beauty and cultural significance, commercial art serves as a conduit for mass communication. Its purpose is to convey messages, sell products, or promote brands, making it inherently utilitarian. This utilitarian aspect is often seen as a departure from the intrinsic value and purity associated with fine art. However, this utilitarian nature is precisely what makes commercial art so vital to visual culture in Pakistan, and was and in many ways remains intrinsic to film marketing.
It is generally acknowledged that commercial art demands a particular set of skills and talents. It requires artists to be not only creative but also practical, as they must balance aesthetic appeal with functionality and marketability. This necessity for a broader skill set redefines our expectations of artists and highlights the versatility required in the modern art world. By acknowledging that art can have practical, utilitarian functions and still be considered art, we move away from the elitism that has historically plagued the art world. This expansion is not a dilution of artistic value but an evolution of our understanding of what art can be, and in fact the exhibition at ArtOne62 pays homage to some of the artists involved in commercial art.
In a virtual first, both Abbas Kamanger and Mehtab Ali had reduced the scale of cinema posters and billboards to an interior-design-friendly format, in a series of oils. Despite the transformation, the paintings possessed all the fervour and impact of their larger avatars, thus affording admirers of this style the same frisson as used to be had from the predecessors. The focus on oils was continued by Mehtab Ali, who is essentially a figurative artist and had concentrated on illustrating, primarily, classic English-language films. Ali’s works seemed to carry more an internationalist tone but it could be observed that he had adjusted the details to suit local perceptions. Rustam Khan, a veteran painter and valued art instructor in his own right, also lent substantial support in this genre.
New technologies in the form of digital prints were represented by Nisar Ahmed and Prof. Rahmat Khan, on both paper and canvas. Both artists seemed to have adapted to the times by engaging in this medium, though the works retained a degree of experimentation and exploration. It was interesting to note that none of these were additionally treated with other media, and retained simplicity and straightforwardness, having avoided further cosmetic manipulation. Mr. Khan’s works in fact were closer to art in terms of the free use of digital techniques.
The traditional watercolour style appeared in Saeed Naqvi’s and Zafar Siddiqui’s renditions. Watercolour is not entirely the easiest medium to master, and is traditionally a play of chromatic areas and subtle use of white, uncoloured areas. In their case, the approach tended more toward gouache technique in order to build up images.
A new and experimental artistic direction was taken by Zahid Hussain insofar that his works are made up of cigarette filters combined with acrylic paints. This effort results in a surprisingly wide range of pictorial effects. This set of works is more of the time as artists consider a diversity of means and methods in their artistic practice.
The overall thesis of the exhibition was centered on the filmi duniya that has been such an integral part of Subcontinental culture. One recalls that especially during the times from which the artists in this exhibition have taken their inspiration, some legendary films were made, and in many senses some of them created a cultural idiom without geopolitical borders. The graphical presentation of the storylines and the characters have been the foundation of a certain nostalgia – that of the time of the big screen, an era when going to the cinema was a regular and important form of entertainment. That fondness of the visual style is extended to and inextricably tied with the song and dance routines. Filmi Yadain takes the viewer down that path of nostalgia and remembrance, harking back to very specific forms of romance and drama.
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