Artist (2006)
Gouache on Wasli
18x23 cm
Quite Ragas
This series of paintings emerged from my close study of Kangra and Pahari miniature traditions, particularly the lyrical grace of historical works often associated with the courts of North India. Rather than reproducing their rich colour palette, I deliberately limited the use of colour, sometimes removing it almost entirely. This allowed me to focus more attentively on the discipline of line, gesture and technique.
Many of the compositions are transcriptions or reinterpretations of historic paintings, where women appear singing, dancing or moving through moments of everyday life in traditional dresses. Alongside these references, I introduced figures drawn from the present. Some are contemporary women from my own surroundings, and one work includes a self portrait of myself as the artist within the scene.
In that painting the background shifts into fragments of Lahore, the city where I grew up. Its buildings appear almost like drifting memories, quietly inhabiting the space behind the figure. The work becomes a small bridge between past and present, between inherited tradition and lived experience.
Compared with much of my earlier work, which often engages directly with feminist critique and historical power structures, this series carries a lighter touch. After a period of making work charged with strong feminist intensity, I felt the need for something quieter. These paintings became a space for enjoyment, contemplation and meditative practice.
Gouache on Wasli
18x23 cm
Quite Ragas
This series of paintings emerged from my close study of Kangra and Pahari miniature traditions, particularly the lyrical grace of historical works often associated with the courts of North India. Rather than reproducing their rich colour palette, I deliberately limited the use of colour, sometimes removing it almost entirely. This allowed me to focus more attentively on the discipline of line, gesture and technique.
Many of the compositions are transcriptions or reinterpretations of historic paintings, where women appear singing, dancing or moving through moments of everyday life in traditional dresses. Alongside these references, I introduced figures drawn from the present. Some are contemporary women from my own surroundings, and one work includes a self portrait of myself as the artist within the scene.
In that painting the background shifts into fragments of Lahore, the city where I grew up. Its buildings appear almost like drifting memories, quietly inhabiting the space behind the figure. The work becomes a small bridge between past and present, between inherited tradition and lived experience.
Compared with much of my earlier work, which often engages directly with feminist critique and historical power structures, this series carries a lighter touch. After a period of making work charged with strong feminist intensity, I felt the need for something quieter. These paintings became a space for enjoyment, contemplation and meditative practice.
Raag Shaam (2006)
Gouache on Wasli
18x23cm
Gouache on Wasli
18x23cm
Kathak (2006)
Gouache on Wasli
18x23cm
Qismat (2005)
Gouache on Wasli
18x23cm
Gouache on Wasli
18x23cm