The common thread

One of the humblest medium used in art making, the simple fibre of thread, is also possibly the most versatile and ubiquitous medium which holds an integral presence in the spectrum of art. Several artists subsume various crafts in their practice and there is an increasing visibility of craft based techniques involving thread within the contemporary canon — such as embroidery, crochet, macramé, weaving and knitting.

Three young artists wove together a coherent body of work under a whimsical banner – Is She a Spinner of Yarns? – which was on display at Gandhara-Art Space. Samina Islam, Cyra Ali and Imrana Tanveer each employed their individual artistic sense to weave narratives and voice concerns which were compelling to each artist.

There is something almost other-worldly about the versatility a single string of thread possesses in the hands of an artist

Samina Islam’s canvases were stripped of personal character, leaving behind only the essence of those longing human emotions which are only too universally relatable. In Reflecting the Self, an unidentifiable woman is veiled under delicate lace, the intricate patterns obscuring her face. The artist embroiders sections of the visible motifs on the printed floral drape itself. One can't help but view the embroidered pattern as "forming a new identity", as the artist later elaborates, as a separate form from the digitally printed areas. Her work inspects how patriarchal pressures allow women only to perform ‘expected’ roles in society, leaving minimal time to pursue their true self. Within the added nuances, however, organic forms and patterns are introduced – symbolising a humble attempt to carve one's own identity. Interestingly enough, the desire to make time to cater oneself is highlighted by the process of hand-sewing itself — a disconnecting and purely self-indulgent activity.

The use of thread has become a signature of Cyra Ali’s work. In her work displayed in this exhibition, she poses stirring questions to the viewers on the pervasive existence of hegemonic masculinity in our society. In one particular piece, How Deep is Your Love?, a bottomless, dark sea is enveloped by a fragile blanket of net — exposed to a barrage of phallic scissors falling from the skies. The scissors, shooting from a viscous bed of clouds, resemble airstrikes or a heavy downpour. While the scissors may be recognised to be dangerous at first, one soon deduces how the closed scissors remain insignificant and vulnerable to getting devoured by the daunting depth of the ocean.

Ali also challenges the notion of women being synonymous to things that are delicate or soft; showcasing an open mouth as petals – the teeth signifying the insatiable want or the anticipated bite. An uninhibited display of female sexuality, the work is a contrast to the polar reality where women are repressed from experiencing let alone exhibiting their sexuality. Moreover, the fact that a woman led a line of hired male craftsmen to follow her instructions on producing high-end embroidery – a technique considered domestic and feminine – is a captivating notion in itself.

Imrana Tanveer interrogates the world around us and critiques the series of (un)fortunate events in the socio-political sphere that inevitably affect one's daily life. Incorporating the traditional craft of mat (chataai) weaving, her visuals are emblematic of not just our political situation, but also of our religious and cultural atmosphere. Tanveer dissects, deconstructs and reconstructs the images as she cuts them into strips before readjusting them alongside one another to weave a mat. The work captures her earnest attempt to display a rising semblance of order as she rearranges the image of disorder and reshapes the pandemonium to salvage some hope. According to her, the alteration is an amalgamation of the real and the imagined. The end result is a satirical image which ironically puts forth a staged fact — a façade quite deviant from the real life scenario.

There is something almost other-worldly about the versatility a single string of thread possesses in the hands of an artist. From experimental drawings to photography and paintings, fluid sculptures to interactive installations and even from video to performance art itself — thread has been a primary incorporation in a diversity of manners. And it is inexplicably uplifting to witness Pakistani artists employ techniques indigenous to our local field. One can only welcome the emergence of visionaries who challenge preconceived notions using one of the most delicate materials known to mankind.

Opening image: 'How deep is your love' by Cyra Ali | Courtesy Gandhara-Art Space