Untitled

Artist: M Shakeel
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Size: 48 × 72 inches (121.92 × 182.88 cm)
Year: 2023

In this vibrant oil on canvas, M. Shakeel presents a striking synthesis of abstraction, figuration, and ornamental design. The composition unfolds as a dynamic mosaic, where vivid color fields and stylized imagery converge to create a rhythmically charged visual narrative. Bold geometric divisions structure the surface, segmenting the canvas into discrete zones of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple, each one resonating with chromatic intensity and formal tension.

Within this mosaic-like structure emerge fluid, stylized forms, figures or horses, rendered with lyrical abstraction. These elements, outlined in dark, almost calligraphic lines, evoke movement and vitality, their contours shifting and merging within the composition. The equine motifs, in particular, suggest a continuity with traditional Indian iconography, where horses often symbolize power, mobility, and ceremonial grandeur. However, Shakeel reimagines these familiar forms through a modernist lens, stripping them of naturalism while retaining their symbolic dynamism. Interwoven with the figurative elements are decorative flourishes that resemble flowing foliage or arabesque patterns, rendered delicately in light gray or silver. These ornamental motifs not only add a tactile richness to the composition but also create a layered depth, softening the angularity of the geometric framework. Their execution, suggestive of relief or metallic ink, hints at a mixed-media sensibility within the oil medium, further expanding the textural vocabulary of the painting.

The inclusion of palm-like trees and natural motifs, stylized and abstracted, reinforces the dialogue between organic and constructed forms. These botanical references offer a sense of place, rooting the dynamic abstraction in a cultural landscape that feels both imagined and archetypal. Shakeel’s visual language bridges traditional decorative arts and contemporary abstraction. His method of compartmentalizing the surface through color and form recalls the practices of stained glass, miniature painting, and even textile design. Yet, the expressive energy and freedom of his brushwork anchor the work firmly within the domain of modernist painting. This painting exemplifies a sophisticated hybrid approach: one that honors visual traditions while embracing abstraction’s expressive potential. M. Shakeel’s work invites the viewer into a kaleidoscopic world, where form, memory, and motion are distilled into a luminous orchestration of color and line. The painting ultimately functions not only as a visual experience but as a layered meditation on movement, identity, and aesthetic legacy.