Sadequain: A Colossus of the Pakistani Art World
Art has always been a mirror reflecting the complexities of the human psyche. Few artists have profoundly captured this expression in its true essence, including the avant-garde of calligraphy, Sadequain. Known for his enigmatic pieces, Sadequain’s work seems to transcend time and space, bringing a touch of universality to his art.
Born in the 1930s, Sadequain started exhibiting his talent early on, a skill that he mastered while studying art history and geography at Agra University. His esteemed work proved to be the new state’s renaissance for art and especially, Islamic calligraphy.
Two Visionaries, United by the Power of the Unconscious
Sadequain’s expression may be depicted in his vivid strokes, emphasizing characters or the deep and shadowy figures. Painting over 15,000 pieces, it is surprising to see how each one carries another story with its kaleidoscopic burst of colors, which constricts one’s mind into a pleasurable curiosity. However, what astonishes me the most is the variety that his work has to offer. At one point, you will see shades your eyes have never seen before, but on the other hand, you might see a monochromatic abstract waiting for you create meaning out of. Building on Sadequain’s symbolic expressions, we can explore how Carl Jung’s concepts of the collective unconscious and archetypes provide a deeper insight into his art.
This connection lies in Jung’s idea that since all of humankind shares the same ancestral history, it may be possible that some of the experiences might have been inherited from generation to generation. He termed this concept as the collective unconscious. In other words, the universality of certain experiences over generations might have left an imprint on all of us. Although we do not inherit the experiences directly, we do have a predisposition to behave and feel in the same ways our ancestors did. The mental image inherited as a result of such experiences was known as archetypes.
A variety of archetypes were discussed by Jung. Starting off with the archetype “Persona,” Jung defines it as one that is essential to conduct a successful life. This archetype entails having a variety of masks and employing them when the social situation/role demands it. It is astonishing to see how much this archetype resonates with the sketch “Personnage” made by Sadequain. It may be interpreted that individuals have to offer a different mask for different situations in order to perform what the role requires successfully. However, as shown in the sketch, everyone stops to take off the mask and wonder who we really are and why we feel the need to hide ourselves under layers and layers of facade.
Next, the “Shadow,” as defined by Jung, is the archetype that instigates humankind to perform immoral behavior from which we should protect ourselves. Jung also maintains that if the shadow is increasingly repressed, it may lash out and take control of the person, which may be the case in the piece below termed “Crucifix.” The mental image of the shadow is somewhat similar to what is represented here. The figure clinging over the person’s head seems as if it has taken over the autonomy of the person to do as they wish and has maintained itself as the uncontrolled entity, guiding the person’s life. Furthermore, his brushstrokes meticulously depict the chaos that the shadow reflects.
Next, we have the archetype of Anima and Animus. Jung maintained that since men and women have been living together for centuries, they have adopted each other’s characteristic traits and attributes, and thus women have masculine components while men also have feminine components prevalent inside them. In order to not lead a one-sided personality, both genders should acknowledge the traits, generally/stereotypically belonging to the opposite sex, as aspects of themselves and should allow them to practice themselves by assimilating into their own behavior. This archetype is often symbolized by the Yin and Yang symbol, but it can also be clearly understood by Sadequain’s drawing given below. This piece showcases how both genders bear commonalities within each other that make them parts of the same process, connecting the two. Moreover, acknowledging the existence of components of the other sex within themselves will lead to wholeness as shown in the piece. The oval, inhabiting the two faces, only becomes whole with the existence of the other. This wholeness, or the state of being complete, was deemed by Jung as individuation, a state every individual strives to achieve.
Another archetype presented by Jung is the “Self,” which represents unity, integrity, and harmony. Moreover, this concept relies on balancing each and every component of yourself, either good or bad, and integrating them to achieve a whole personality. The painting below perfectly represents this archetype by providing multiple facets of an individual, all of which are being balanced out, indicating a harmony, as evident in Jung’s archetype of self.
In conclusion, although some might maintain that Jungian concepts seem extremely generalizable and coincidental. However, this might be exactly what Jung was trying to put across. Maybe these concepts are so generalizable because they have an innate component that is inherited by all of us. Sadequain’s art provides a compelling example of this notion. His art seems to align with the inherited mental images proposed by Jung. It is interesting to see how we can find components of a theory in art that was made in a different decade and in an area that was thousands of miles away. Although Jung’s theory carries a hint of mysticism, the recurring presence of the archetypes in diverse cultures and contexts is hard to ignore.
I love this soooo much <33 So interesting and insightful and the themes are explored so well.