Memories’ Series
Graphite and eraser on paper
29×43 inches
2014
Unavailable
Imran Channa’s work has been deeply engaged in understanding the nature, shape and manipulation of history as it is constructed to serve ideological frameworks. In recent years, this engagement has taken the form of a more intense and complex relationship between images in the media, events on a global scale and images found in history.
In the Memories Series, the drawings explore historical perspectives through the use of photography, questioning the authenticity of history that is often manipulated and constructed. When history is cast into doubts it threatens the status quo.
Photography can be viewed as presenting a perfect picture of the past. It can also be the bearer of great untruths, propaganda. Where facts are concealed and reality distorted. The viewer is unable to distinguish fact from fiction.
Taking references from personal and historical photographs archive, the works explores photographic histories and memories. A transformative process occurs where the image is drawn with graphite onto paper, erased then redrawn several times until the image become visible and invisible at the same time.
Fascinated by compressing time and motion as well as blurring realities, these images evoke a feeling of history vanishing and re-immerging simultaneously the work is a conscious act of slowing down history as it evolves, elongating the continuum of becoming. It provokes uncertainty and throws constructed histories into doubt, challenging the viewer to think about alternative realities.
Imran Channa graduated with a BFA in 2004 and MA (Hons) in Visual Arts in 2008 from the National College of Arts, Lahore, where he currently teaches. He has exhibited extensively nationally and internationally. Channa was awarded with the Award of Excellence by Punjab Artist Association and has been a finalist for the Sovereign Asian Art prize, Hong Kong 2010.
Image Courtesy | Imran Channa