TAG Members Shivanna (left), Audrey, and Tiffany view The Roof Garden Commission: Imran Qureshi, open through November 3, 2013 (weather permitting)
«The Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden at the Metropolitan Museum is a magnificent place to exhibit art high above Central Park. You have the warm sun, the sounds of nature, the clear blue sky, the green foliage, and a breathtaking view of the concrete jungle around you. Walking out onto the roof recently, I expected to see an immense sculpture. Instead, I was greeted by Pakistani artist Imran Qureshi's painted installation.»
At first, I was taken aback and unsure if I should step on the art. When I finally stepped on it, I felt uncomfortable. I felt a wave of chaos and anxiety because touching or interacting with artwork is usually taboo. Looking at the floor, I noticed flowers that looked like chrysanthemums. The paint splatters were very free and organic but had this sense of organized, designed elegance to it. The red color added a dramatic element to the landscape of city, sky, and trees. The white paint added dimension to the flowers.
As an Indian, I'd always seen and viewed Asian art as very traditional and had never experienced "modern" Asian art before. Imran Qureshi's installation was something new and spectacular to me. It was taking a traditional pattern and motif and applying it to this very Western splatter pattern. The installation has a very clean-cut edge that carries a much deeper meaning. From death grows life; it's calm versus chaos. I also feel it symbolizes the border war between Pakistan and India that lasted for years. I imagine it can also symbolize what recently happened at the Boston Marathon; crossing the line can lead to blood. This was the first time I was able to interpret and connect with a piece of art that I felt familiar with.
The fact that an artist who typically paints detailed miniatures was able to break out of the small, tight movement of his brush and create this splattered carpet on the Cantor Roof Garden is mind-blowing. Modern Pakistani, Indian, and Middle Eastern art is something that is up and coming and something that the East Coast hasn't seen a lot of. It shows that, as artists and art enthusiasts, we speak one language and are connected overseas through the simple love of art.
Shivanna. In the boundless depths of darkness, hunt the morning through the night, June 2013. Ink and acrylic paint
Related Link
The Roof Garden Commission: Imran Qureshi