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Sea to believe

ONE OF PAKISTAN’S most promising young artists, Ali Khurshid, has captured some stunning images of the seashores of Karachi that are on exhibit at the Showcase Gallery in Dubai.

The exhibition is brought up by Omer Alvie, the creative director of Villano6, and highlights an exclusive collection of spectacular limited edition prints of Karachi beaches. Though these images are still, even a brief look at the scenery is emotionally overwhelming – transporting its onlooker to the stimulating ambience of dusk. They reveal an intricacy of emotions that break pre-conceived notions and perceptions of Pakistan by capturing real moments, which have a remarkable surreal quality.

“There are some experiences which words can’t describe; you must use an artistic medium to convey them,” Ali Khurshid says to City Times. “But there is a certain thrill in not knowing where your destination is and that creates a lot of energy for you to work with. Energy is another word for art that you express through different mediums.”

“I live in Karachi, and this chaotic city possesses a sublime quality which is formed by the vast expanse of the ocean. Almost everything is put into perspective when you have a walk at the beach. I want to focus on the fact that no matter how hard times are, the universality of the sea can embrace anyone.”

“The major turning point for me was when I went to Hunza,” the 23-year-old budding photographer recalls the day he realised his passion for photography. “I had a Nikon camera on me. The northern areas of Pakistan are just miraculous wonders of the earth and the journey towards them has always been a fascination. You read about details and colours as a design student and you can’t help but wonder at the sheer beauty of this landscape and its people as well. The way the light changed every hour was very interesting and even when it’s dark you always see shooting stars at night, so for me it was hard to get any sleep since I was always excited.”

From the exhibiting collection, Khurshid’s favourite photograph is ‘Play’ - an extremely low angle shot of kids playing on the beach, where one has his foot in the air. “You will always remember this,” Khurshid comments.

Currently, Khurshid is completing his third year in architecture at Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, Karachi. According to the artist, “I put forward my architectural training through my photography. Both complement each other. In both, one has to pay attention to the detail. I will be doing photography even if my day job as an architect refuses to let me do so. Photography and road trips are my release.”

“The world is falling apart at the seams, yet humanity shares some major elements, which cannot separate us. I try to bring the universality of our experience here in this world through my photographs,” he concludes.

event details

Ali Khurshid’s exhibition runs till December 8 at Showcase Gallery in Dubai.

citytime@emirates.net.ae