Lyrical harmony
The acrylics on canvas paintings by Aqeel presently on display, reinstate the oneness between varied art forms.
“An artist gets inspired by what he sees and absorbs in the form of colours, objects, nature, scenic beauty, people and many other forms. My passion for music has inspired me to come up with a form of expression, which I call ‘soundscapes’. My series of paintings, soundscapes, started when I was invited by the Minister of Culture, in Qatar for an exhibition in 2010.”
Art was a part and parcel of the environment in which Aqeel grew up. His father Aziz, is a well known senior artist from Hyderabad, much loved for his works based on Golkonda fort and energetic horses. The love for fine arts was bestowed upon Aqeel as a family tradition to which he adapted naturally and passionately. Aqeel pursued his studies in fine arts from JNAFAU College of fine arts and has shows in India and abroad every now and then.
The present series of works titled ‘soundscapes’ have been rendered in impressionistic style. The figurative works manifest portraits of well known singers and dancers and a set of performers caught in a trance while performing. The artist creates a flow of energy and momentum through the application of colours in strokes. The movement of linear strokes create a path for the viewer to explore the varied sections of the picture surface. The colour palette is bright and luminescent. The small dabs and strokes are applied in impasto technique that invigorates the picture surface.
The artist assimilates the dance and music stances with colour to arrive at a melody which accentuates a unanimous rhythm. Aqeel tells more, “Art forms are interrelated to one another, dance , music, painting and others. They exist in a seamless oneness and overlap, get assimilated and enter each other’s domain beautifully,” he says and adds, “I believe that art is a form of meditation. An artist while performing or creating art works enters a trance that uplifts his sense of consciousness and transcends his presence into a sublime oneness with the Universe. Such harmonious blend is a form of worship.”
When asked about his future plans, Aqeel discloses emphatically, “I am planning to organise a jam session along with an art camp which will include painters, musicians and dancers.”