A new artist, a new gallery. The artist is Bandah Ali, who loves to depict Sindhi culture, especially focusing on Thari women,whom he has portrayed with grace and colour in this exhibition. The gallery is ArtOne62, which is related, one could say, to the now well known Artkaam Gallery, and can accommodate 62 artworks in a show. Artkaam, which can accommodate 70 pieces, has never looked back after its opening 2 years ago, and artists and critics have queued up to use their premises. Therefore an offer was made to them by Shahid Malik, who manages Gallery One62 Australia, in which he suggested an exchange of cultural programmes, thesis displays and so on.
Introducing himself, Bandah Ali, a self-taught artist, says, “I started doodling at the age of 9, and from the beginning I have focused on drawing our culture, portraits, landscapes and all life around me. My main focus is Thari women and Sindhi cultural life, showing the moods and facial expressions of these women, particularly while they dance. The Rajasthani outfits of Thari women have always fascinated me, while their happy moments, smiles and colourfulness give me joy. I have worked in all mediums, and currently I am working on a series called ‘Colours of Life,’ featuring Thari women.”
'Girl dancing solo in an archway'
Sindh has a rich culture with its folk music, dances – reflect in the colourful gaghras of the young women complemented by their elaborately embroidered blouses.(I believe married women dress differently, though still with colour and much embroidery). The dances include the dandanrand, the mitko, the chakar rand and the rasooro. In fact, the rasooro is a stick dance for women, while the dandanrand is a stick dance for men. As to music, one is entranced by the sweet tune of the alghoza (a pair of woodwind instruments), the magical melody of the murli (flute), also by the shehnai, the Yaktaro, Tanpura, the haunting Bansuri, the Been, Narr, Naghara and Dhol. Meanwhile, Sindh has been described as a land of mystics, poets and saints.
As to the dances, it’s not just the colourfulness of their costumes, and the way they sway and flutter as the girls dance, but the litheness and delicacy of the dancers that come through in his work and hold one’s attention. And there’s the desert sand that is stirred by the dancing feet - tastefully coloured and stylised by Bandah Ali. Plus their many, many bangles and their silver jewellery. Also, some of their hand and arm movements are not unlike those of a trained classical kathak dancer. For many reasons, it’s very difficult to choose between these pictures.
One cannot but admire the the girl dancing solo in an archway, her presence enhanced by her arm movements, not only graceful in themselves, but helping to fill the positive space within the arch. This draws one’s attention to an aspect of the beauty of old Sindhi architecture, about which writer and researcher Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro has told us so much in The Friday Times.
'Girl dancing solo with light from above'
Another picture where the girl dances solo is full of life and joy. The many-coloured costume sways with the dancer, filling most of the picture, while her dupatta and elaborately decorated blouse contribute to the beauty of the piece. But the most striking feature of this composition is the light from above, just as we see it in the Sufi dances, where the dancer aims to unite with the Divine in the form of the light of the universe. Depending on the viewer’s attitude, we are informed that these things may be attributed to the philosophy behind some of Bandah Ali’s work, since after all, he paints in a culture where Sufism is prominent.
Again we see the light from above, this time hailed by seven young beauties dancing in a circle, forming a rainbow, while one may say that the colours of the universe rain down upon them from above. We are told that circle dancing is probably the oldest dance form, and was part of community life when people first started to dance, thousands of years ago in many cultures. But this time, as a touch of variety, along with their gaghras the girls are wearing hip-length blouses – the whole dancing ensemble being a wonderful combination of pastel colours.
It’s not just the colourfulness of their costumes, and the way they sway and flutter as the girls dance, but the litheness and delicacy of the dancers that come through in his work
The clever combination of a dancer blending with a portrait of a maiden’s face strikes the eye. The face is fairly large format, with its rounded youthfulness set off by a large nose ring and silver necklace, while the dupatta covering her head and upper body tells its own story and holds its own beauty. Looking closely, one then notices the dancer beside the subject’s face, her arms with their many bangles a part of the portrait, while the gentle sway of her dupatta blends with the grace of the whole.
The painter is full of joy. His art is full of joy, which he shares with us. And sooner or later, with the partnership of Artkaam Gallery and GalleryOne62 Australia, who knows how far and wide his work may be seen?
The author devoted 17 years to Classical Kathak and is a student of Tibetan Buddhism. She lives in Karachi
