“Day dreamer you are” by Abdul Halik Azeez March 25 – April 22 at Saskia Fernando Gallery
After a hiatus of over six years, Abdul Halik Azeez returns for his second solo exhibition at the Saskia Fernando Gallery.
In search of the erased histories and forgotten memories that hide under the paved surfaces of the built environment, Azeez highlights the relevance of refusing to accept what is put before you, what towers in front of you and distracts you from the truth, and instead choosing to investigate reality as you would search for patterns formed by clouds in the sky.
Azeez’s exhibition is composed of multimodal art pieces including photographs, moving images, drawings and handmade zines, promising an interactive and thought-provoking experience.
His art is inspired by his past as a citizen journalist and independent researcher focusing on hate speech and discourse, documenting the stories that go unwritten and unheard. Using social media to publish his work, Azeez ventured into photojournalism.
In his first solo exhibition at Saskia Fernando Gallery, he explored the chaotic pace of change in contemporary Sri Lanka – bringing attention to the plight of minorities and the residents of overlooked and ignored slums. Who is left behind in our race for development? This narrative extends into his latest exhibition – titled “day dreamer you are,” an exploration of the cracks in the picture-perfect image of Colombo’s development.