19 Jul Demonsterate – Muhammed Zeeshan at Kristin Hjellegjerde

DeMONSTERate, an exhibition of Muhammed Zeeshan’s latest works is open at the Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery. The gallery writes…”A bridled horse stands behind a trio of doorways; a tulip grows from a poppy seed; a woman applies lipstick within a window of colour; a hand holds the stem of a plant sprouting two eyes. Pakistani artist Muhammad Zeeshan merges traditional miniature painting techniques with bold geometric patterns and symbolic imagery to reflect on themes around artificiality, censorship and freedom of expression. The works in the exhibition consider the ways in which human conflict, consumerism and contemporary culture continue to disrupt the natural balance of things. The monster here is humanity, so disconnected from nature that we no longer have a sense of what is real. Significantly in all of the paintings we are followed by eyes. We look at the image and it looks back at us. How we are supposed to interpret this gaze is ambiguous but it has the effect of shifting the focus inwards, of inviting us to contemplate how we perceive and exist in the world and what impact that has on the wider picture.”