Young artists brighten up Islamabad’s art scene

Islamabad

A group exhibition of exquisite and thought-provoking artwork by young artists opened at Nomad here today (Thursday). The show features the work of Fizza Siddiqui, Hira Shakir, Momina Momina, Samreen Asif and Usman Khalid.

Fizza Siddiqui, a graduate from National College of Arts, Rawalpindi, is a talented printmaker whose work reflects the pain of refugees, who are forced to leave their basic necessities behind, ranging from material goods like houses and clothes, to intangibles like happiness and comfort. "It is tough for kids to leave their childhood, their belongings, and shelter. What took ages to build has been ripped apart in the blink of an eye," the artist states while reflecting on her theme.

Hira Shakir's work is an attempt to explore her interaction with circles as she floats and blends within these various life patterns. Explaining, she said, "There exist many patterns beside our own.  All these patterns are interconnected, opening different life circles within a circle."

Momina Momina considers art as an integral part of her life from the time she was born. "It proved to be my mother tongue as I grew up. In spite of my disability (deafness and speech problems), I was educated in the mainstream educational system in Pakistan and in 2010, travelled to the UK and did my Masters in Fine Arts at Northumbria University. This was a crucial time for me as it broadened my horizons to become a qualified professional artist," she mentions in her statement.

Momina's current body of work presents an account of her own little world, which she builds in her head; in this world, communication is less important and the emotions it invigorates hold greater significnace. "The simplicity of my works corresponds to the complexity it hides within it. They are life accounts of me in an orchestra of colours. Colours, to me, are like sounds and my artistic creation is music in its own way," Momina explains.

Samreen Asif is a miniature artist who creates a dialogue between the ancient and the modern language of art, fusing various schools such as Kangra, Pahari, Persian, Chinese, and Japanese. "I admire weaving the gold threads of my creations and revealing the glow around a sparkling. It was by studying Indian miniature paintings that I learned composition and colour balance.  What modern artists are seeking seemed to be already present in these paintings from long ago. I take inspiration from the religious icons of many cultures, the gold leaf and gaunt figures of Byzantium, the colours and rich mythologies of the Sub-continent," she mentions. She highlights women with eternal hope of freedom and liberty, abounding with dramatic colours. "This portrayal breeds elevated feelings of love and care which women need to strengthen and empower their spirits with," Samreen added.

Usman Khalid paints nature. "I see; I observe; I believe; I preserve; but end up losing myself to this significant bloom; utterly and wholeheartedly. I am a keen admirer of the details that surround me. Nature from where we all emerge from, is rooted within me with balance; and I tend to use that in the work that I do. I feel inspired and blessed by the different experiences (good or bad) that I encounter almost every day; that makes me who I am," he states.

When Usman is about to start a particular artwork, he begins by digging deep into its origins and aesthetics. "I begin by extracting the individual elements that make up that idea. The separating and filtering of irrelevant and insignificant fragments from the ones that are pure and whole takes time. I never rush things; instead, I wait and allow myself, physically, mentally and emotionally, to process it. I let myself go and eventually a certain point in time comes when it hits me. I'm clear. I'm satisfied to move forward to physically create it. So I do," he explains.

The exhibition, which will remain open until September 18, merits appreciation.