Great Expectations by Ali Hammad & Ali Saad

Great Expectations

Two-Man Show of Paintings and Drawing

by

Ali Hammad
Ali Saad

on Friday 3 March 2017 at 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
the Exhibition will continue till 11 March 2017

Artscene Galleries
F-39/1, Block 4, Clifton,
Karachi-Pakistan.

Ali Hammad
Born, 1985, Quetta

Education:
National College of Arts – Lahore – Pakistan.

Artist’s Statement:

Although I have not painted the honey bee as yet but I find this insect extremely intelligent for it creates a miracle of beauty and order. Akin to this is the mysterious sequence found in nature, a chain of things, one comes after another like at one place a baby is born and at another, someone dies; or like seasons in a year; night following the day; the light chasing the shadow or the vice versa. It is this order and discipline that has always fascinated me. God is so kind and one of the best gifts He has blessed us with is the Light–the soul and life blood of universe. This makes me recall the German Philosopher Goethe’ whose last words while he was dying were, “Mehr Licht!”—More Light! As Og Mandino said, “I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure darkness for it shows me the stars”. It would be well to quote here Wordsworth too- “Where light and shade repose, where music dwells lingering-and wandering on as loth to die”.
I paint in oils using the best possible material available. A long hog hair filbert applying wet paint is always delightful to me. I paint in the Flemish / Dutch style using the colored ground as my under painting. One window is what gives light to the still life, portrait etc. Light is the idea in my paintings, there is one which is the incident and the other that is inventive (general knowledge of light and shade) – the crux of the Chiaroscuro. It’s the latter part of the statement that makes, what I paint, more inventive rather than the mechanical rendering – copy of the outside world. So I don’t always paint what I see but I see closely what I paint. My painting approach relies upon my four masters, What? Where? Why and How much? I call them, “the fantastic four”. It is these forces that help me invent stuff, thus allowing me to give each picture a different visual concept. So, on the surface it may be a still life or a portrait but in depth it’s a skillful intertwining of color, light, form, space, air, etc.
I am using everyday objects with the interplay of light and shade, not only to make beautiful pictures but also to symbolically address the dark and difficult times we are passing through. At such times the glimmering ray of light, a moment of attention is what offers us hope and happi

ness.

Exhibitions:
2016 Solo Show “In Pursuit of light” at Ejao Art Gallery Lahore.
2015 Participated in the third edition of The Big Picture art exhibition. 2014 —”Temptations” group exhibition at the Gallery of light.
2012 “Points out my life” – group exhibition, at Marsam Mattar Gallery 2011 – Group exhibition at Millennium Hotel Abu Dhabi
2011 “Reflections-27 Artists, 1 region….infinite emotions “Group show at Golf Club, Arabian Ranches
2011 Awarded an “Honourable Mention” in USA in an International Realism Contest online at — http:// www.myartcontest.com
2011 Participated in a group show at Officers Club, Abu Dhabi
2011 “Seven Perspectives” – Group display in National Theatre Abu Dhabi 2010 – Participated in Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition
2010 Displayed in a group show with Gwynfa Gallery-Abu Dhabi
2010 Worked as one of the portrait painters among seven from across the Middle East for the Late His Highness Sheikh Zayed P

ortrait Workshop under the patronage of Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed. Compliment in an article edited by Gareth Clark for Time Out magazine -Abu Dhabi-UAE.
2008 Displayed my paintings in an’ International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition’ at ADNEC – Abu Dhabi through Chalcedon.
2009 “Four Corners” – Group exhibition at Acento Gallery Abu Dhabi.

Bibliography:
Interview in the Oasis Magazine April Edition 2015.
An article “Transit hub of promise” published in Gulf News dated: 230 March, 2012 by Megha Abraham.
An article published in Al Etihad on Tuesday — 29/10/2011.
An Article about Seven Perspectives Exhibition published in Al Iltehad News dated: 19th January, 2011 by Salman Kasid.
Description about Seven Perspectives display in Time out – Abu Dhabi Dated: January 27-February 2./2011.
Exhibition information about “Abu Dhabi Art Squad and Friends Art Show” at Gwynfa Gallery published in Abu Dhabi Week dated 07th-13th October, 2010
Description about “Four Corners” exhibition — Time Out Abu Dhabi — November 2009
The Art Squad Exhibition edited by Gareth Clark, published in Time Out — October 2009

All Saad
22. July 1989

Educational:
Year 2012-2016 Bachelors in Fine Arts from National College of Arts Lahore Artist’s Statement:
My subject matter from exhibition to exhibition may vary but the technique and principles that I follow is of the Dutch Masters. To me Things that has very little significance or may be unimportant to the public, can be made look beautiful ,with the strong play of light and shade, simple yet beautiful compositions and bold but sensibly placed brush strokes

Exhibitions:
2016 Group show at Pakistan National Council of Arts PNCA, Islamabad
2016 Group show in Satrang Gallery Islamabad.
2016 Group show In Chawkandi Art, Karachi.
2016 Exhibited in Eye for Art Gallery on April the 2nd, New York.
2016 Two of my works were displayed at KLF (Karachi Literary Festival) at Canvas Gallery Karachi
2016 Degree show of BFA at National College of Arts, Lahore.
2012-14 Displayed In young Artist exhibition at Alhamra Arts Council, Lahore.

Other Qualifications/Accomplishments:
2016 Gave a Three days’ workshop to the Art students on Drawing at BUITEMS University, Quetta.
2014 Went as a Judge for an Art competition held at UET Faisalabad.
2014 Worked as an assistant in the painting workshop held at Sharjah Art Foundation, Sharjah.
2014 My work was selected in top ten out of many, in Young Art Exhibition Held at Alhamra Art Council Lahore.

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