Adeel uz Zafar | Monomania December 10th, 2015 – January 23rd, 2016 V.I.P. Reception & Press Preview: Thursday, December 10th, 6:00pm – 8:00pm 35 Great Jones Street, New York N.Y. 10012 Monomania (mŏn′ə-mā′nē-ə) 1. A partial insanity in which psychotic thinking is confined to one subject or group of subjects. 2. An excessive interest in or enthusiasm for a single thing, idea, or the like; obsession.

Aicon Gallery is proud to announce Monomania, the first U.S. solo exhibition of Karachi-based artist Adeel uz Zafar. Born in Karachi, Pakistan in 1975 and receiving his BFA from Lahore’s National College of Arts in 1998, Zafar began his career as an illustrator of children’s books, which has marked his artistic endeavors ever since. This exhibition presents a survey of Zafar’s recent work, and highlights two of the signature elements of his practice; the use of children’s toys eerily wrapped in bandages as subject matter and his now iconic reductive technique of scraping away at a black latex surface line by line to give rise to meticulously rendered, seemingly three-dimensional forms. The resulting figures, set against a stark black expanse as background, are simultaneously haunting, imposing and imbued with an intense sense of loneliness. They mirror the isolation and confusion that are the increasingly common by-products of our ever more connected yet somehow ever more fragmented societies. As cultures clash, ideologies metastasize, and socio-political conflicts and inequalities intensify, Zafar’s figures, while culled from the collective memories of our childhoods, embody the sense of desperation, helplessness and darkness that can result from our increasingly complex and volatile global situation. Zafar’s work came to prominence in the exhibition Size Does Matter at V.M. Art Gallery, Karachi in 2009. The monumental scale of the works, their unusual subject matter drawn from global pop culture, and his innovative “scratch and reveal” technique all served to quickly set the work apart from the predominant methods and concerns of the emerging Neo-Miniaturist art scene in Pakistan. Additionally, the works posed a new challenge at the time by overwhelming the viewer with the obsessive virtuosity of their technique while denying any easy reading of their underlying meaning or implications. Some saw the works as metaphors for the universal notion of childhood innocence lost, while others viewed the isolated and battered figures as a specific cultural stand-in for the nation of Pakistan, as it teeters on the brink of a political and ideological abyss. Since these figures originate largely from a pool of universally shared childhood icons, but are now being interpreted by individuals shaped and molded by a lifetime of personal subjective experience, the artist has always been careful to leave such readings open. There is no doubt however that these works are the product of Zafar’s twin obsessions of recurring subject matter and his painstakingly meticulous technique. The solitary figures that populate the world Zafar seems to be creating float through their lonely universe and seem completely oblivious to one another due either to the bandages

Adeel uz Zafar, Antagonist 1 / Dragon, 2015, Engraved

drawing on plastic vinyl, 60 x 49 in.

covering their eyes or the black voids in which they find themselves. Thus, although these characters evidently exist in the same mythological pantheon of our shared memory, they appear doomed to never meet one another; to never enact the dramatic battles, alliances and tragedies for which they’ve been created. Not only do the conflicts between the perceived good actors and bad actors in this world go perpetually unresolved, they are never even given a true chance at understanding each other or themselves. Here Zafar’s world seems a heightened metaphor for our now global ideological, cultural, and sociopolitical conflicts and the bleak consequences of giving in to the pessimism it can sometimes breed. Zafar’s creations often seem desperately abandoned or forlorn. However, the postures of many of these figures seem clearly ready and excited for interaction. In Antagonist 1 / Dragon, the creature stands with its bandaged fists in the air, like a boxer ready to face an opponent who will never enter the ring. Meanwhile on the side of the ‘good guys’, Protagonist 1 / Mickey floats hopefully through his empty universe, arms perpetually outstretched for a hug he’ll never give or receive. It is a desperate and insular inner world we’re

peering into, a world in which sensory overload in the information age and exasperating ever multiplying crises have reversed the natural human desire to seek and understand the world. Indeed, even when Adeel’s characters occasionally manage to get a peek through their bandages at the world around them, they likely wish they hadn’t. There is a sort of existential horror expressed in the single giant staring eye of Antagonist 3 / Monster, while Protagonist 2 / Kong seems quite positively on the verge of tears upon getting a glimpse of the emptiness that surrounds him. In the end, these drifting creatures seem to have been created to either perpetually ponder the purpose of their existence in a world they cannot clearly see or understand, or be cursed with the sight and knowledge of the true void in which they exist. Born out of an obsession with a revelatory yet single artistic technique, the once familiar inhabitants of Zafar’s strange and lonely universe are ultimately left with nothing to contemplate or understand outside of themselves. They have become the trapped subjects of their own monomania. Adeel uz Zafar was born in Karachi, Pakistan in 1975. He completed his BFA from National College of Arts (NCA), Lahore, graduating in 1998. Zafar then involved himself in ensuing projects that marked his early identification as an illustrator, including work on children’s books. In 2008, Zafar turned his attention fully towards fine art, gaining broad recognition for his work through several important group exhibitions in Pakistan. His works highlight and provoke a wide range of interpretations and can be read and experienced on many levels: personal, social, political and philosophical. Zafar has had solo exhibitions in Pakistan and Singapore, with the current exhibition being his first major solo show in the U.S. He has participated in more than thirty international group exhibitions and been featured in publications such as Art Review, ArtAsiaPacific, The Express Tribune (Pakistan), Dawn (Pakistan) and many more.

Please contact Aicon Gallery (Andrew@Aicongallery.com) for more information.

Adeel uz Zafar, Protagonist 1 / Mickey, 2015, Engraved drawing

on plastic vinyl, 36 x 30 in.

Adeel uz Zafar, Drawing Appendage 1, 2015, Engraved drawing on plastic vinyl, 98 x 120 in.

Adeel uz Zafar

Adeel uz Zafar, Drawing Appendage 2, 2015, Engraved drawing on plastic vinyl, 60 x 60 in.

Adeel uz Zafar

Adeel uz Zafar, Drawing Appendage 3 (With Detail Shots), 2015, Engraved drawing on plastic vinyl, 48 x 120 in.

Adeel uz Zafar

Adeel uz Zafar, Mutation 1 & 2, 2015, Engraved drawing on plastic vinyl, 36 x 30 (Each) in.

Adeel uz Zafar

Adeel uz Zafar, Antagonist 1 / Dragon, 2015, Engraved drawing on plastic vinyl, 60 x 49 in.

Adeel uz Zafar

Adeel uz Zafar, Antagonist 2 / Demon, 2015, Engraved drawing on plastic vinyl, 60 x 60 in.

Adeel uz Zafar

Adeel uz Zafar, Antagonist 3 / Monster, 2015, Engraved drawing on plastic vinyl, 98 x 60 in.

Adeel uz Zafar

Adeel uz Zafar, Protagonist 1 / Mickey, 2015, Engraved drawing on plastic vinyl, 36 x 30 in.

Adeel uz Zafar

Adeel uz Zafar, Protagonist 2 / Kong, 2015, Engraved drawing on plastic vinyl, 36 x 30 in.

Adeel uz Zafar

Adeel uz Zafar, Among the Believers, 2015, Printed book and sound installation

Adeel uz Zafar

ADEEL UZ ZAFAR

Born in 1975, in Karachi, Pakistan, where he lives and works. Adeel received a BFA from National

College of Arts, Lahore in 1998.

Select Exhibitions/Projects

2014 Stranger Than Fiction, Gandhara-art, Karachi (solo show)

2014 Semblance of Order, Koel Gallery, Karachi (group exhibition)

2013 Extra/Ordinary 37 Do-It-Yourself Art ideas for free, Canvas Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan

(group exhibition)

2013 Semblance of Order, Parramatta Artists Studios, Sydney (group exhibition)

2013 Are you in Character? Gandhara-Art, Karachi (group exhibition)

2013 Protagonists, Fost Gallery - Gillman Barracks, Singapore (solo show)

2012 Ussman aur Mein, Koel Gallery, Karachi (group exhibition)

2012 Stop Play Pause Repeat, Lawrie Shabibi, Dubai (group exhibition)

2012 Let’s not talk about Politics, Gandhara-Art, Karachi (group exhibition)

2012 Mein, Koel Gallery, Karachi (group exhibition)

2012 Converging Lines (A suite of Drawings), Khaas Art Gallery, Islamabad, Pakistan (group

exhibition)

2012 Letters to Taseer II, The Drawing Room, Lahore, Pakistan (group exhibition)

2011 Psychological Space, Indus Valley School Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan (group exhibition)

2011 ICON- A Tribute to Film star RANI, Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore (group exhibition)

2011 Silsila, Koel Gallery, Karachi (group exhibition)

2011 Two Person Show- Adeel uz Zafar & Ayaz Jokhio, Canvas Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan

2010 The Rising Tide- New directions in Art from Pakistan 1990 -2010, The Mohatta Palace

Museum, Karachi, Pakistan (group exhibition)

2010 The Drawing Room at Slick Paris, The Palais de Tokyo and the Musée d’Art moderne de la

Villa de Paris, Paris, France ( group exhibition)

2010 Out of the Box- Box Print Portfolio, Indus Valley School Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan

(group exhibition )

2010 Sanjh, an Art exhibition in support of efforts for the relief of the Flood Affectees, Alhamra Art

Gallery, Lahore, Pakistan (group exhibition)

2010 On the Brink, Fost Gallery, Singapore (4 person show)

2010 RM Studio Residency International Show, Ejaz Gallery, Lahore, Pakistan (group exhibition)

2010 One Square Mile, Arts Council, Karachi, Pakistan (group exhibition)

2009 Being a Man in Pakistan, Art Chowk- The Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan (group exhibition)

2009 Size Does Matter, VM Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan (group exhibition)

2009 Redo Pakistan, Other Asias (in collaboration with Shanaakht Festival), Arts Council,

Karachi, Pakistan (group exhibition)

2009 Gift to Pakistan, VASL (in collaboration with Shanaakht Festival), Arts Council, Karachi,

Pakistan (group exhibition)

2009 Indus Valley School of Art & Architecture (IVSA) Faculty show, IVSA Gallery, Karachi,

Pakistan (group exhibition)

2008 Indus Valley School of Art & Architecture Faculty Show, IVSA Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan

(group exhibition)

1998 Degree Show, National College of Arts, Zahoor ul Ikhlaq Gallery, Pakistan (group exhibition)

Booth/Art Fair

2014 Gandhara-art at Art / Basel Hong Kong (15-18 May), Booth 1D07

2013 Gandhara-art at Art / Basel Hong Kong (23-26 May), Booth 1D07

2012 2nd Kathmandu International Art Festival (KIAF), ‘Earth / Body / Mind’ (25 November -21

December)

2012 VIP Art Fair

2012 Lawrie Shabibi at PULSE New York, Booth B6

Collections

Works in various private collections in Pakistan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Paris, USA, Mexico,

Australia

Residencies

2014 Creative Fusion International Artists Residency, Cleveland Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio,

USA

2013 Parramatta Artists studios, in collaboration with Cicada Press (COFA, UNSW), Sydney,

Australia

2010 RM Studio Residency International, Lahore, Pakistan

Selected Illustration Projects

2012 Prerana & Lal Peela (Children Story Book- Bilingual edition), Kathalaya publications,

Kathmandu

2008 Urdu Readers (Series of Text books), Danish Publications, Karachi, Pakistan

2007 Zafran (Children Story Book), Paramount Publishing Enterprise, Karachi, Pakistan

2006 Just Like Other Kids (Children Story Book), The World Bank, Islamabad, Pakistan

2006 Oxford Progressive English (Series of Text Books), Oxford University Press, Karachi,

Pakistan

2004 What Is In My Mouth? (Children Story Book-Bilingual edition), Human Rights Education

Programme, Karachi, Pakistan

2004 Dirawna Dar (Children Story Book), The Book Group, Karachi, Pakistan

2004 Head Start Readers (Series of Text Books), Danish Publications, Karachi, Pakistan

2003 The Mountain That Loved a Bird (Children Story Book), The Book Group, Karachi, Pakistan

2003 Yahan Wahan Kahan (Children Story Book), The Book Group, Karachi, Pakistan

2003 Mujhay Acha lagta hay (Children Story Book), The Book Group, Karachi, Pakistan

2003 Oxford Social Studies for Pakistan (Series of Text books), Oxford University Press, Karachi,

Pakistan

2001 A Tale of Two Kittens (Children Story Book-Bilingual edition), Human Rights Education

Programme, Karachi, Pakistan

1999 Beemar Dost (Children Story Book), The Book Group, Karachi, Pakistan

1999 Kantay ki Ani Par (Children Story Book), The Book Group, Karachi, Pakistan

Membership

2006 Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, USA

Participations

2013 Confirm-Confront- An international print exchange exhibition, Hong Kong Open Printshop,

Hong Kong

2004 14th Noma Concours Picture Book Illustrations, Japan

2002 13th Noma Concours Picture Book Illustrations, Japan

2000 12th Noma Concours Picture Book Illustrations, Japan

Teaching

2004-present Karachi Grammar School, Karachi

2008-2011 Indus Valley School of Art & Architecture, Karachi

1998-2006 Karachi School of Art, Karachi