Life in chiaroscuro

Jahanzaib Haque explores a world of light and dark with Stephan Andrew.

(Published in the Nov-Dec 2009 issue of Aurora)

There is one thing that even a layman can see in the pictures of young, up and coming, photographer, Stephan Andrew: life is not easy.

A recent solo exhibition titled, ‘Trial by Existence’ held at the Photospace Gallery in Karachi, gave the public a chance to experience and engage with Andrew’s work, focused as it is on the theme of every day reality and fleshed out by characters and objects depicting the vast spectrum of existence that defines Pakistani living.

Life, the universe and Rohail Hyatt

(Published in Aurora, September-October 2009 issue)

By Jahanzaib Haque

Where to begin talking about Pakistan’s leading music producer, Rohail Hyatt?

From pop star fame in Vital Signs, to one-time CEO of Pyramid Productions; from writing the musical score for Shoaib Mansoor’s film Khuda Ke Liye, to producing names like Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and of course, creating the musical phenomenon that is Coke Studio; Hyatt is an enigma – and I am duly warned that he is ‘media shy’.

But as I sit back in Hyatt’s studio surrounded by flat screen monitors, recording equipment, musical instruments and organic trinkets, I am greeted with warmth, courtesy and the odd sensation of visiting an old friend.

Thoughts on Power Yoga and Zizek

Yoga philosophy: Accepting discomfort is intentional passivity. Non-acceptance is resistance. But the truth can’t be resisted, so resistance=disharmony….Intentional passivity.  I think Zizek and Yoga have a number of things in common.

Yoga answers criticism leveled against Zizek. Resistance outside of reality is futile, dangerous and enslaving (ideologically in Zizek’s terms. Breaking your back in yoga terms). But this does not suggest a philosophy of non-doing or inaction or full of bitterness and regret.

Aldous Huxley on Misery

“At least two thirds of our miseries spring from human stupidity, human malice and those great motivators and justifiers of malice and stupidity; idealism, dogmatism and proselytizing zeal on behalf of religious or political idols.”

A view on Socrates…

Nietzsche said to understand philosophy one must understand the philosopher.

all philosophical works are thus a form of biography of the author.

‘Socrates was ugly’. Thus, In a society dominated by the idea of Beauty, he was naturally to adopt Reason as his main philosophy.

Figures….

JH