Patterns connecting spirituality with science and art
Jayanthi Liyanage
Imran Mir belongs amongst the tribes of Piet Mondrian and Wassily
Kandinsky as he is an exponent of geometrical abstraction.
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Imran Mir |
“People think my art is geometry. Yes, I do geometry,” acknowledges
Mir. “The Art Society of Washington did a seminar on me. They asked me
why I draw these designs. I said I was bad in Math when I was in school
and I am hoping to solve my Math problems now,” is his half-jesting
response to his geometrical reaction.
Then he turns on a more sombre note. “It is very difficult to explain
this kind of work. There is no verbal explanation, no story behind, no
social comment or political statement. Just visuals.”
Of his exhibition, opened at Paradise Road Galleries, six exhibits
are couples. “They are paired. They are like dialogues, talking to each
other,” Mir hinted at their depths. “If you look at the whole properly,
you will understand. I don’t have to explain.” Of a pair of circles, one
is perfectly drawn while the other is a free hand drawing.
Mis has painted from childhood. “I drew in school up to my taking a
science degree and decided to go to an arts school in Pakistan.” His
crossover to art was consolidated in Ontario, Canada, where he majored
in advertising design. His paintings were part of his art classes. From
there, he moved to New York and exhibited his work. “Then I decided to
come back to Karachi.”
His first paintings were representational, real things, portraits and
faces. With his art education and “time and age”, he changed. “Everybody
changes,” he remarks complaisantly. “Anybody has influences. They change
from time to time. What I have now is my own style.”
There is a considerable gap between his exhibitions as he says, “I
exhibit only when I think my work is new. I don’t want to repeat my
work. If I don’t do anything new, I don’t exhibit.” He calls his
exhibitions “papers” as holding one is like working on a paper or a
thesis. It involves selecting a subject, researching it, retrieving
solutions and presenting them in a logical manner in the form of a
series of paintings.
Looking at Mir’s paintings, one also recalls to mind that Islamic
art, being prohibited to depict religious figures, became a geometrical
pattern-based art, even centuries before the abstract art movement in
Europe. Geometric patterns visually connected spirituality with science
and art.
 
Mir has picked on Sri Lanka as the latest venue for his exhibits “as
I have friends here.” Once it concludes, he contemplates going back home
to Karachi. This “home” has been designed by Sri Lankan architect
Anjalendran. “He introduced Sri Lanka to me,” says an inspired Mir.
The first ever exhibition in Sri Lanka of Pakistani artist Imran Mir
Azam Ali opened to the public at Paradise Road Galleries, Colombo 3, on
January 24 and will continue until February 21.
Imran Mir, a top honours Master’s graduate in Communication Design
from the prestigious Ontario College of Art, Toronto, Canada, in 1976,
was the only foreigner to win the Governor General of Canada’s Trophy
for the Best Student in the college’s 100 year history.
Prior to that, he had graduated from the Central Institute of Arts
and Crafts in Karachi. He is the Chairman of Circuit Advertising,
affiliated with DraftFCB Worldwide, counting Sri Lanka among its country
branches. He is a founder of the Indus Valley School of Art and
Architecture in Pakistan.
He is also a trustee of the Foundation for Museum of Modern Art (FOMMA)
and plays a key role in the publication of art books by FOMMA in
Pakistan. Married with two sons who plan to return from America and join
his ad agency, Mir lives in Karachi, in a much publicised house,
considered a watershed in modern Pakistani architecture. He is also a
keen gardener who helps friends to do up their gardens.
Exhibitions:
Arts Council Karachi (solo) -1971
Gallery ODS Gardelly, Copenhagen -1972
L’Affiche Academy of Art, Paris -1972
Ontario College Art Gallery -1973
Pratt Institute, New York -1973
Gallery 76, Toronto (solo) -1973
North American Art Students Exhibition, Los Angeles -1975
Workshop in University of Buffalo by Max Bell -1975
International Center Gallery, New York (solo) -1977
Soho Center of Creative Concepts, New York (solo) -1977
Indus Gallery, Karachi (solo) -1981
Seminar of work, Arts Council, Karachi -1981
Haroon House Gallery (Herald Publications), Karachi (solo) -1984
Sheraton Art Gallery, Karachi (solo) - 1987
Computer Art show and seminar at the American Centre, Karachi -1989
American Center, Karachi -1990
Ziggurat Art Gallery, Karachi -1991
National Exhibition, National Gallery, Islamabad -1993
Imran’s Studio (solo) -1997
“Beyond Borders”, National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai -2004
VM Art Gallery, Karachi (solo) -2008
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