The new global dialect

Amin Rehman’s politically charged artwork is simple yet bold. Through his text-based conceptual drawings and installations, he raises a strong voice against globalization, colonialism, anti-nuclearisation , war on terror and most importantly the post 9/11 effects on the globe and a brutal exploitation of power that results in global bloodshed and massacre. Rehman’s art offers viewers an intellectual activity that demands the viewer to observe, read and then question or comment.

“Other Histories,” which was exhibited at Rehman’s alma mater, National College of Arts, Lahore, on November 23, 2015, is a collaborative project between the multidisciplinary artist and Tariq Ali, a renowned film-maker, novelist and journalist. The show travelled from Toronto and Chatham, Ontario, to Karachi before reaching Lahore. The works displayed in the show include, the innovative “coin series” is a satirical commentary on the “distorted language” which developed as a result of the recent wars on terror and is used mostly in the media.

The Pakistan-born artist, now based in Toronto, studied at the fine arts department of NCA, Punjab University (Lahore) and also at University of Manchester (UK). He has exhibited extensively in a number of exhibitions across Canada, notably at the Dorris McCarthy Gallery (Toronto), National Art Gallery (Pakistan), Rush Arts Gallery (New York) and The University of Technology (Sydney).

At the opening ceremony of his show at NCA, I had the privilege to exchange some views with the artist about his work.

AYESHA MAJEED: What are the incidents which inspired you to portray your feelings in the form of words?

AMIN REHMAN: I have been a practicing artist since the 1980s and worked on social issues in Pakistan. After immigrating to Canada in 1990, I started working on community and migration issues. But 9/11 changed my work altogether. My first text work was on an artist call by South Asian Visual Arts Collective’s art project titled “Peace Taxi”. The work was based on an interview of a Toronto-based taxi driver who said, “First my subcontinent was divided then my country and now home”.

Majeed. You have used the excerpts from Tariq Ali's books as the main source of your work, what inspired you in his writing?

Rehman. In this exhibition, three types of texts have been used; texts based on the writings of Tariq, writers he referenced in his work and finally, the text I created based on Tariq and the references he used.

Tariq Ali is one of the most original and vocal international/Pakistani voice who has been vigorously talking through print and electronic media, film and theatre on the issues of democracy, globalization and neo-colonialism since 1960, internationally – on the history of European colonialism to American imperialism, South American issues to the Arab world to Bangladesh and Pakistan’s internal and extenuation situation.

So “Other Histories “offers a strong commentary on neo-colonialism and aggressive globalization. Most of the texts discuss current events, but some selections are from historical issues depicting the continuity of colonialism into the present. These texts contrast, compliment, contradict and superimpose each other. The background text often speaks for the pessimistic, or colonial, voice and the foreground layer is an optimistic, or diaspora voice.

Majeed: Why do you choose to use only words to portray your feelings?

Rehman: I was trained as a figurative artist and my imagery has been based on figurative works, still-life works and landscapes for half of my professional career but the “text as image” has taken over my artistic practice for now. You may see the ‘image’ dominating my work in the future.

Majeed: What is the role of text as a visual?

Rehman: For me, the selection of the text, process and material is very important which makes any text a successful visual. Larger texts require clear selection of idea and composition, which could engage the viewer into the work. Whereas smaller, open-ended texts are easier to take as an idea with you.

Majeed: Which Arabic or Urdu "khat" inspired you the most? Your typography style seems to be a contemporary blend of Arabic “khat” and English typography.

Rehman: The textual layers rely on my past interest in language, translation, and the phraseology of globalization and post-colonialism. By investigating the use of post-colonialist language and Perso-Arabic scripts (like Kufic and Nastaleeq) and intertwining the Islamic calligraphy with English, I incorporate my diaspora identity into the contemporary art practice. The appropriated textual passages serve as the pictorial content. By using the palimpsest technique and playing with the cultural meaning embedded in layered typography, the work utilizes the graphic and informational qualities of print media and aspects of Popular Art to address current global issues.

Majeed: What is the medium that you have used?

Rehman: The exhibition comprises of vinyl texts, as well as encaustic, neon, acrylic and mixed media installations.

Majeed: As you mainly talk about the suffering of Muslims and Pakistanis, do you experience the same "celebration of your work" in the West?

Rehman: My work is issue-based and not only talks about Pakistan and Muslims but also about the empire where this trouble starts. Over the decades, our leaders and governments sold Pakistan’s interest to the United States and their ideology. Global capitalism has created sharp disparities in the lives of people across the globe in the age of globalization. Through my art practice, I investigate and questions and themes such as violence, conflict and war to highlight the complexities of a global ideology in the context of neo-colonialism and aggressive world capitalization.

Overall, my work has been shown in over 100 art exhibitions both locally and internationally in solo, juried and group art exhibitions. “Other Histories” is a travelling exhibition which has been shown in Canada and Pakistan and the next venue is in England.

Majeed: What is the difference that you experience in exhibiting your work here and abroad?

Rehman: I’ve been frequently exhibiting in Pakistan and abroad. The Western gallery system is more structured and works methodologically. In Pakistan, we are struggling and need more funds to make a significant progress.

The Pakistani contemporary art scene has become richer in the last 20 years and a number of Pakistani artists have made a mark in the contemporary history of art.

Majeed: Are you teaching also?

Rehman: At times, I have been teaching and taking art workshops with different age groups but I work as full-time artist.

Majeed: Is there a project in the pipeline?

Rehman: My next exhibition is "Melting Borders" on the fragility of Pakistani borders.