Existentialism of the Female Psych

About

Maqbool Ahmed is a master at sensitively portraying the personal struggles of women, by setting them amidst surreal, dream-like sequences which slice through their socio-cultural dilemmas, creating a clash of their dreams and aspirations with the reality of suppressed lives.  Women characters are soft, feminine; lightly dressed and faceless forms show their vulnerability, yet these are women who are aware of their sensuality. 

These paintings speak about the women’s dreams and desires, however there is a tinge of sadness as if the women are aware that these feelings are mere reflections in a mirror – portraying its unrealised or unacknowledged status. 

The casually elegant faceless female characters make statements through their silence, engaging viewers in a dialogue.  The women in these paintings are connected with each other in an unseen thread, a deep feeling which only they share.

Maqbool Ahmed has created a visual storyboard of female existentialism by capturing the emotional upheavals of women.  Through brilliant use of colours, light and shade, Ahmed transforms the canvas to a translucent and transparent quality.

Soft feminine forms depict varied strains of female sensibilities and the existential struggles engulfing the lives of women. These are luminous, delicate pieces with a universal appeal.  Each painting has a detailed composition harmonious to the reflections and refractions of the artist’s thoughts.

This is the first exhibition of Ahmed’s work in London.