Art Review: Familiar in an Unfamiliar Frame at Sanat Initiative

Written by: Muhammad Hamza
Posted on: August 01, 2025 |

The Quiet Gathering – 8 by Kashif Ahmed

Through this era, which has formed a few too many artists who have come around to give out modernity in their artworks, we do have a few old-school artists who explore still life as it was hundreds of years ago, or just some pop-colored portraits of objects and a few too many other hybrid, morphed forms of humans, objects and animals. Sanat Initiative has hosted three of such artists, and their artworks speak for themselves in this regard of creating from the life lived and the present-ever state of such things.

Kashif Ahmed

Kashif Ahmed, a well-established and veteran artist in still life oil painting, has brought a series called The Quiet Gathering, with several editions and renditions of fruit in a bowl.

There’s a great selection of fruits of all kinds which combine together to form the perfect-ever fruit bowl. The concoction includes grapes, tangerines, pears and many more, including a few vines just crossing around the bowl or in other directions.

Kashif has focused on the present state and structure of these compositions that bring it all to life. There is a whole state of mind that works around to create balanced light renders infused with the smooth textured surfaces of each fruit. The addition of insects shows a natural, raw side of such vibrant fruits and flowers.

The Quiet Gathering is more of a longing for peaceful, present times, where we reminisce about the old Renaissance era when such curations were exotic and highly popular, often celebrated at large feast tables. It showcases the tradition and history of old-school culture.

The artworks almost pop out of the canvas and give the impression of realism in every surface rendering it as a soft reminder to stay basic and focus on the linear present.

Kashif has shown depth and detail in each artwork, whether with one single kind of fruit or a whole composition. The vivid, vibrant trays of fruit, flowers and insects all together are the epitome of silence and warmth on a table.

Maryam Arslan

Maryam Arslan is one of those visual artists who has explored painting food in quiet, the most vivid manner, creating a unique immersive experience for the viewer, where the gloss finishes take the lead and food in a plate or a briefcase shine through.

Her work comprises pop solid colors with a tone that highlights across the room. There’s a high contrast of light and texture breaching over the actual frame of the artwork.

The painting’s depiction of a sliced dessert with figs against a vibrant, abstract sunset may symbolize the fusion of indulgence and nature, a theme supported by research from the Journal of Aesthetic Education, which highlights how food imagery in art often explores human sensory experiences and environmental connections.

Maryam Arslan’s style here blends realism with abstraction. The dessert is rendered with meticulous detail: notice the texture of the cream, the glossy figs, and the moist interior of the cake, showcasing her skill in capturing sensory richness. In contrast, the landscape employs bold, expressive brushstrokes and a vivid color palette, reminiscent of post-impressionist influences like Vincent van Gogh, yet infused with a contemporary twist.

Arslan’s inclusion of food as a subject, ties into a broader art historical tradition where edibles serve as metaphors for human experience; think of the still lives of the Dutch Golden Age or the pop art of Wayne Thiebaud, who famously depicted cakes and pies. However, her approach is distinctly modern, aligning with the digital-era trend of “food porn,” where food imagery is stylized to provoke desire and contemplation.

The Geography of Joy invites viewers to ponder what joy means in their own “geography”: physical, emotional or historical. The cake might symbolize indulgence or nourishment, the landscape a place of refuge, and the lemon a reminder of life’s complexities. For Arslan, it could be a tribute to survival, turning a slice of life into a slice of art.

The title English for Dessert is intriguing and open to interpretation. It could be a playful nod to English cuisine (perhaps referencing a British-style pudding or toast) reimagined with a global twist through the inclusion of berries and cream. The floating hearts and syrup raining from above add a layer of whimsy and affection, suggesting that food, in this case, is not just sustenance but a source of joy and love.

Samiya Mahir Sheikh

A mixed media artist who combines wit with innocence in her direct phrases, ones that shake up a family reunion. A gathering that quite speaks for itself; involving several renditions from her current series Khandaanistan, where every other unhinged character of a family member has been brought to life with an animal to depict their culprit nature and daring personality, which they are usually famous for. It’s a slap on the face and a pat on the back at the same time.

The rooster, a recurring symbol in various cultures, takes on a unique flavor in Sheikh’s hands. In Pakistan, roosters are often associated with rural vitality and are featured in traditional crafts and storytelling. Sheikh’s personal narrative, growing up in a city shaped by migration, likely infuses the artwork with layers of meaning, such as the tension between rootedness and displacement. The “confirmation of a narrative” mentioned in the post suggests she intentionally crafts stories within her pieces, inviting viewers to interpret the rooster as a figure of both pride and struggle.

The rooster’s posture is upright and assertive, with its chest puffed out and head tilted, evoking strength and vigilance.

The painting Daughter by Samiya Mahir Sheikh, acrylic and mixed media, echoes the distorted human forms seen in modernist art movements like Expressionism, potentially reflecting psychological depth or societal commentary. It personalizes the work, suggesting an intimate or familial subject, which could imply a narrative of identity, growth or emotional connection.

The distorted face could symbolize the complexities of a daughter’s inner world, perhaps adolescence, resilience or a mother’s perspective. Expressionist influences support this, as distortion often mirrors psychological states.

My Gucci Belt – Jaidad Edition is a literal masterpiece of its own, crafting a composition that hits right in the chest like a dagger. Samiya is evoking the notion of self-respect via this very piece, where societal norms have surpassed the actual standards.

We have been so used to hearing stories about someone stealing the inheritance of the whole family and living their life as the most non-political figure of the whole clan. There’s been such a societal collapse due to this facade of political instability and lack of respect and accountability for the whole family of that inheritance.

The exhibition carries a lot of weight and hidden meanings, which could surely wake up the viewers to a more realistic approach and sense of life. The food category really pops up the moment, bringing societal issues to the surface in the most subtle manner possible. We are being told to pause and observe much more than act and move.

A humbled reminder to the viewers for their own good: the pieces speak for themselves, either in the harmony of smoothness on fruits or just a lore from every other family. The characters can make sense in their respective meaning, while the reminder talks about settling in and rowing your boat yourself.