Ascending-Descend

Aleem Dad Khan

Aleem Dad Khan

Born and raised in the valleys of Hunza and Gilgit Baltistan, Aleem acquired his formal education till higher secondary in the Northern areas of Pakistan, which is studded with the biggest cluster of the highest peaks of the world, except Mount Everest. During the formative years of his life, the rich culture and challenging terrain of his hometown left deep impressions on his understanding of life. The artist within him matured after his induction at the Fine Arts department of the National College of Arts, Lahore, from where he graduated with honours in 2002. His fascination with the preindustrial era human endeavours led him to meticulous studies of the processes and products of the artisans’ world, which is evident from his degree show. In 2005, Aleem got to experience a different art-making sensibility at the Swansea Print Workshop in Wales, UK. After his return to Pakistan in 2007, he is practicing art and teaches at various education institutes in Islamabad.

Opposite: Kohistan Vale. View from Karakoram Highway.

�is series record Aleem’s quest for the essence of life, which shares the physical and emotional milestones that he has covered in diverse milieus. Wrapped within the bounds of time and space, this is the story of multidimensional journeys in which Aleem narrates experiences of his expeditions through terrestrial and human substance—where both are essentially composed of the same matter, however, respond di�erently to human thought and touch. �e narrative draws on visual signi�ers that are constructed or experienced by travellers and ‘explorers’ of these territories. �e choice of surfaces, pigments, and colours correspond to the elements of journey, earth, and human feelings respectively that seamlessly weave their interconnectedness.

�e marriage of artist’s physical and intellectual journeys recorded on used canvases with minimal materials echoes the ancient tradition of petro glyphs left by travellers aeons ago. �e selection of Karakuram Highway as a context and inspiration for these drawings has a deep emotional signi�cance for him, which connects both ends of his life that are far apart both physically and culturally. He wants to tell the story of his travel to either side of his existence: his origin—the reservoir of his memories, and his present destination—the platform of his creative endeavours.

�e vast expanse of mountainous region that connects these two ends for him was the missing link in his narrative. Apparently, the insigni�cant, yet inevitable, part of his commute was the ‘vacant’ space that he wanted to witness, feel, and �ll with tangible details—a post-transformation view of the sites that would not have been very unfamiliar otherwise.

�ese drawings record glimpses of the marks left by travellers—the humans—just like the worn-out canvases have visible marks left by their users. In order to record authentic expressions for his retrospective-voyage, the artist travelled the entire route from South to North spreading the canvases on sands and rocks, absorbed and recorded what he felt and saw along the way.

Work in progress. Kohistan Vale, Karakoram Highway.

Ascending-Descend I152 x 104 cmGroup Show, 2013, Pakistan National Council of Arts

Ascending-Descend III180 x 104 cm

Group Show, 2013, Pakistan National Council of Arts

Gorge182 x 104 cmAscending Descend, Solo Show, 2013, Gallery 39K, Lahore, Pakistan

Opening182 x 101 cm

Ascending Descend, Solo Show, 2013, Gallery 39K, Lahore, Pakistan

Hot Engagement182 x 101 cmAscending Descend, Solo Show, 2013, Gallery 39K, Lahore, Pakistan

Slabs185 x 106 cm

Ascending Descend, Solo Show, 2013, Gallery 39K, Lahore, Pakistan

Phantasy185 x 106 cmAscending Descend, Solo Show, 2013, Gallery 39K, Lahore, Pakistan

Soma182 x 101 cm

Ascending Descend, Solo Show, 2013, Gallery 39K, Lahore, Pakistan

Mounting Ropes182 x 101 cmAscending Descend, Solo Show, 2013, Gallery 39K, Lahore, Pakistan