ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON ARTNOW MAGAZINE
Amra Khan has been committed to developing a distinct portraiture motif over the last decade, her two dominating trajectories are titled ‘The Vermilions’ and ‘Ecce homo’. Using colour and symbolism as visual anchors, these paintings can be seen as ships passing each other in the night, where the viewer is invited to witness their undeniable connection through the subject’s direct gaze. Khan’s solo presentation at Khaas Contemporary opened on 1st February 2024 in Islamabad featuring an extensive collection of interdisciplinary works. She is currently attending the Visiting Artist Fellowship at the Mittal Institute, Harvard University, USA followed by the Sam and Adele Golden Foundation Residency Program Residency this year. Her contribution as Assistant Professor at the Kinnaird College for Women has helped to shape the future generation of female artists in Pakistan.
The characterisation of the ‘The Vermilions’ protagonists is based on the artist’s internalised observations of life existing at the negligible peripheries of society. Khan’s emphatic spotlight to reclaim space for the androgynous comes dressed as a joyous boudoir inhabited by subjects with inflamed facial features, elongated eyes and compressed limbs yet the immediacy of the drawing is paired with heavy layering of paint highlighting skin tone and texture. The brushwork in “Solah Singhar” relays another psychological message that allows the viewer to pause and closely examine each inch of her canvas. The background is activated throughout ‘Ecce homo’ where ornamental textile patterns are replaced by digital pixelation and the Victorian gold frames are stripped down to gently curved canvases creating the symbolism of a mirror. The gaze used in the painting `My Brown Boy ” is softer and femenised, the skin tone is luminescent and smooth which creates a polarity to the muscular form of her male subject’s bodies. The artist’s ability to present a multitude of perceptions towards male and female representations becomes a medium of hybridisation of the self.
The theatrical nature of “Bano likes it a little extra” can be read in the performative body language of the protagonist wearing a bright pink turban, another figure can be seen reflected in the dressing table mirror set towards the background much like Manet’s “A Bar at the Folies-Bergère” there is frenzy surrounding the figure created through objects, a floral background and cluttered floor. The glam shoes are presented in the foreground yet worn-out stockings reveal something else, the spectacle is further amplified with the other two pairs of eyes built into the objects on the dressing table creating a powerful dialogue towards the nature of objectification, emasculation and empowerment.
The artist explores gender and power dynamics throughout her series, in “Biba” a vintage Sheesham wooden mirror frame is used to hold the portraits of two subjects taking a photograph with their cellphone and the case cover is painted in the iconic symbol of the rainbow matching the eyeshadow makeup painted on both the subjects. The act of “getting ready” and “taking a photo together” become gestures of resilience and resistance that shape the spirit of freedom. The Sheesham wooden frame appears in “Blue boy blues” and “Teriyan Adanvaan”, their physicality and weight become a visual intervention connecting the external environment with the inner psychological world of the subject. Khan has been collecting thrifted vintage objects over the years incorporating them into installation-based works, here she has melded them into paintings where they signal the existence of history, memory and place.
Exploring the ideas of gender construction, the artist incorporates depictions of shoes, bras, and jewellery boxes as intimate mediums of self-expression. The clothing is often coloured in fuchsia pink tones or heavily embellished as a surrealist medium of the feminine, the red lips of her protagonists and hearts drawn onto amulets can be seen as armour worn proudly and courageously. Rebelling against societal prejudice or gender conformity often results in blatant shaming and rejection by mainstream society yet in Khan’s world, she accepts and celebrates the uniqueness of a nonbinary existence. Bringing the global discourse on gender politics to its grassroots, by infusing her work with signifiers such as kohl, perfumes, prayer beads and incense bottles. In the painting “Zakhmee” the subject has a tattoo with the iconic heart being pierced by an arrow, the tattoo text conveys the message of having been hurt, yet we see the subject caressing themselves with their face while holding their pet cat able to overcome their past pain through self love.
Khan doesn’t just invite us to explore the complexities of societal margins and personal identity but also prompts us to reassess the norms that shape our perceptions. Her ability to blend symbolism, colour, and texture creates a captivating narrative that sparks conversations about inclusivity, empowerment, and the beauty of being oneself. Through her art, Khan’s message resonates as a tribute to the transformative force of creativity and the resilience found within every individual.
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