Young artist visualizes ‘Error 404’

Published in Pakistan Observer (28 Dec. 2010)

'Paper planes'

Sana Jamal

ISLAMABAD: Colorful yet original portray of the society captured in the canvases by Sara Khan welcomes the element of uncertainty in life and leave us pondering for a solution. Young painter Sara Khan’s ten paintings and drawings will be on display from Dec. 28 to Jan 2 at Rohtas gallery.

The artist has attempted to seek a solution to the worries of the society through her artwork. “My paintings give the message of enthusiasm with inspiration and motivation to keep our spirits high” said the artist during the press preview on Monday.

The exhibition title ‘Error 404’ signify that the element of uncertainty in life keeps us restless and we are constantly in search of solution to our routine life problems but instead of a solution we get the error 404.
“When we are looking for a certain website on internet, sometimes it gives the error 404 which means that website is inaccessible. That’s from where I got the idea for the title of my artwork” explained the artist while talking to Pakistan Observer.

Natasha Iqbal, the curator of the gallery believed that “each painting of Sara Khan is a story with an unfinished end. Each artwork arise a new question in the minds of the onlooker.” Despite of the usual happy-go-lucky version of life, “her (Sara’s) art pieces represent a new interpretation of life which symbolizes the element of uncertainty in life.”

'Family Portrait'

Some of the notable artworks were titled ‘Unamused’, ‘Family portrait’, ‘Paper planes’ and ‘Rock and a hard place.’

In the ‘Family portrait’ the artist portrays a dysfunctional family in which conflict, misbehavior, and anxiety on the part of individual members which occur occasionally. The anxiety on the faces of family members is evident in the portrait with oil on canvas. 

In ‘Unamused’, the clown lying on the ground and the people gathered around the clown with unhappy faces both represented the dejected look on the faces of people in our society. Using charcoal and pen on paper, the artist has brought forward selfish nature of man. “The nasty faces of the figures in the artwork depict the actual, concealed nature of humans which is being self-centered” said the artist.

‘Paper planes’ in which a girl is flying high on paper plane depicts the high spirit of the girl but at the same time paper plane shows the uncertainty of the flight.

The Lahore-based artist has used huge canvas as it “provides big spaces for new artists for doodling while offering a chance to learn through experiencing in a huge space” explained Sara Khan. This was the 3rd exhibition in her two-year work as an artist.