Voted Houston's "Best Place to Buy Art," Archway Gallery is owned and operated by 34 Houston-area artists. Since 1976 we have been dedicated to welcoming and supporting the arts in Houston through weekly live figure drawing sessions, our annual Juried Exhibition, hosting music, dance, writers' events and much more.
|
|
May 7 - June 2, 2022 Imperfectly Perfect Featuring New Paintings by Mohammad Ali Bhatti |
Bhatti firmly believes that art doesn’t necessarily have to be pretty or perfect, but it must evoke emotion. “In my early career, I was trained as a figurative artist and attempted to be a painter of ‘perfectness,’” he recounts. “During my PhD studies in Comparative Arts, I realized that artists are capable of expressing emotions and ideas as they wish.” In his abstract expressionist works, Bhatti approaches the canvas with a simple idea, a concept, or a theme and begins with random marks, developing small and large shapes, and connecting them with more lines and shapes. Spontaneous brush strokes, contrasting colors, and multiple layers create a sort of transparency and richness of texture. Complexity of design occurs intuitively -- the appearance and disappearance of motifs and elements that float in neutral space. “The incompleteness or unfinished surfaces of my canvases may look imperfect to some, but for me it is the complete fulfillment of making a statement,” says Bhatti. “It is a journey to discover the perfection in the beauty of imperfection.”
In addition to his Abstract Expressionist paintings, this exhibition will include some of Bhatti’s Southwestern pieces, which showcase his figurative art and portraiture skills. “I am electrified by the exceptional country life of the American west,” he explains. “I feel driven to capture on canvas the beauty of life on a ranch, livestock, rodeo activities, rocky mountains, and wide open landscapes.” Bhatti’s ultimate artistic goal is to offer the viewer a complex composition that captures the attention, stimulates thought, and opens a dialog between the work and the viewer. He strives for an aesthetic that encourages open-mindedness while harnessing positive energy and the power of imagination to reveal the beauty of our “imperfectly perfect” world.
In addition to his Abstract Expressionist paintings, this exhibition will include some of Bhatti’s Southwestern pieces, which showcase his figurative art and portraiture skills. “I am electrified by the exceptional country life of the American west,” he explains. “I feel driven to capture on canvas the beauty of life on a ranch, livestock, rodeo activities, rocky mountains, and wide open landscapes.” Bhatti’s ultimate artistic goal is to offer the viewer a complex composition that captures the attention, stimulates thought, and opens a dialog between the work and the viewer. He strives for an aesthetic that encourages open-mindedness while harnessing positive energy and the power of imagination to reveal the beauty of our “imperfectly perfect” world.