Behind the miniature strokes…

artist interview

From the genre’s inception to the present day, miniatures have been integrally associated with specific techniques, diminished format and reduced scale. The history of miniature art traces its origins to multiple precedents which evolved into a new genre and this art form continues to adapt and transform with time.

Hira Zubair Ghakhar is a Lahore-based miniature artist who graduated in Fine Arts from NCA in 2010 and then did her MA in Interior Design from NCA in 2015 as well. She won the Haji Sharif Miniature Award in 2010. Hira has since then exhibited her work in a number of national and international shows. She was selected as a miniature artist from Pakistan in two international miniature festivals – one in Istanbul Turkey (2012-2016) and the other being the international miniature festival in Algeria (2012). In 2017, she was a part of the International Art Exhibition in Bursa, Turkey, called ‘Migration and Empathy’, which was curated by Reyhani Akan, a Turkish visual artist. Hira’s work is displayed in the permanent collection of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Migration History Museum. Along with this, in 2020, Hira was selected in the 5th Zervas Art symposium in Paris. In 2018, she did her first solo sow ‘Let your soul blossom’ in Karachi and recently she did her second solo show ‘Dimensions of Soul’ curated by Humayun Mamon at Art Chowk Gallery in Karachi. This week You! talks to the artist to the artist about her work and the inspiration behind it…

You! What made you pursue art? 

Hira Zubair Ghakhar: I was always a very quiet person. I talk less and observe more in life. I have been drawing and painting since I was seven. I loved practicing different kinds of arts and crafts. During school and college, I was not very good in studies, just an average student. I always knew I was going to pursue a career in art so I kept participating in art activities. My parents were opposed to this but I pushed myself to get an admission in NCA. I had to do a lot of convincing before they finally allowed me to pursue Fine Arts.

NCA has two campuses, Lahore and Rawalpindi. It’s hard to get an admission but I was short-listed for both. Since my family was settled in Islamabad, so I got enrolled in the Rawalpindi campus for bachelors in Fine Arts (2007-2010). And that’s how my art career started!

You! What is miniature art and what inspired you to focus on miniature painting?

HZG: Miniature painting is a traditional style of art that is very detailed and painted on small scale, smooth surface. It captures events to document them for books or albums. There are different types of miniature styles such as Persian, Mughal and Indian miniature which are very popular. The miniature painting technique is very different. There are a lot of steps like preparation of surface, colours and their brushes (which made from squirrel’s tail). The neatness of the work is a really important aspect when it comes to painting the details. All of this really inspired me to choose miniature as a major.

You! How many exhibitions have you been a part of so far?

HZG: I’ve been a part of more than 20 exhibitions locally and around 5-6 international exhibitions.

You! What has been your most exciting exhibition?

HZG: My solo show ‘Dimensions of soul’, held in December 2021, at Art Chowk Gallery. The exhibition was curated by Humayun Mamon and the gallery owner Shakira Masood. And the manager Zeeshan Ahmed did a great job organising it all. The theme of the exhibition was spirituality and its growth. The strength of spirituality involves our capacity to dig deep and find the greater meanings in life, to align ourselves with a purpose that extends beyond us to find unity within the universe. It described our human connection to God and how we can align our mind, body and soul.

You! What kind of mediums do you use to create art?

HZG: I use miniature painting surface called wasli. I use arches sheet, gouache paints. But first I prepare the shell colours, original gold leaf according to the composition of my painting.

You! What is the inspiration behind your work?

HZG: I draw inspiration from Persian miniature as that is very close to nature. Persian paintings depict different themes such as court scenes, angels, hills, forests, valleys, deserts, animals, birds etc. I feel very connected to Persian trees, rocks and different types of flowers.

You! What makes miniature painting interesting, how is it different from other traditional arts, such as calligraphy or tezhib?

HZG: It’s small-scale and there is attention to small details of objects. Traditional art is a combination of miniature painting and calligraphy. It has been used to decorate manuscripts such as making borders using gold, silver and miniature illustrations.

You! How do you come up with your composition?

HZG: I’m very imaginative. I take my thoughts and convert them into images. I explore my subconscious mind for illusions according to my theme and concept and sometimes I start directly on my painting surface.

You! Is there an element in your art you enjoy the most?

HZG: My work is based on natural elements like flowers and trees, and I feel very connected to nature. I make angles in my work that only I can feel and imagine but can’t see in real life. I love to paint these in my work as you can see in the paintings ‘Blessings on the way’ and ‘Growing deeper’.

You! What is the most challenging part of your work?

HZG: The most challenging painting that I’ve done was ‘Rebirth’. Creating 3D depth layers took a lot of time – from cutting, creating the oval shapes to painting and making patterns.

You! Is there any work of yours you are most proud of?

HZG: In the painting ‘The power of imagination’, I used a bronze gold-plated frame. It was a very different kind of work. I made a separate painting to adjust the bronze frame in the centre.

You! What do you dislike about the art world?

HZG: Everything is now digitalised and technology is taking place of human skills, which is affecting the art world.

You! How do people receive your work?

HZG: I get compliments on the way I express myself through nature, elements, selections of colours and compositions. The concept of my work is based on spirituality – the alignment of mind, body and soul. This attracts people to think about themselves.

You! Who is your favourite artist?

HZG: I like miniature artist Aisha Khalid’s work.

You! Do you travel in order to gain knowledge or get inspired for your work?

HZG: Travelling is great for inspiration. I have visited many countries related to my work and participated in several international exhibitions. I also gave miniature workshops to artists and students from different countries.

You! What place inspires you the most?

HZG: I like historical places, forest and hilly stations.

You! In your opinion, how would you define surreal art?

HZG: Surreal art is like ‘washing dust from their subconscious mind’, a next level of work.

You! What is your artistic outlook on life?

HZG: Following my passion to work hard and create a unique variety of work.

You! What is the importance of gallery representation today even if the artist can market it themselves?

HZG: Galleries are professional. They can provide many benefits and services that give the artist exposure. The biggest advantage of displaying your work there is gathering an audience, clients and art lovers.

You! Do you think the art scene has changed in the last ten years?

HZG: Yes, it is changing all across the world. The galleries are defining their limits, every gallery has its own artists and buyers; sometimes, it’s hard to get a show.

You! What is the most important advice you can give to young artists?

HZG: If your work is good, grow your social circle.

You! What are your future plans?

HZG: I’d quote Eleanor Roosevelt, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”