ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON YOULIN MAGAZINE
Miniature painting, as an expression of spirituality, has been ever-present throughout history and can be experienced as illuminated manuscripts woven into the visual fabric of various religions, empires and civilisations. The practice of creating these labour-intensive paintings is closely associated with a state of devoutness that has survived and thrived for centuries, having traversed into modern forms of art creation. The influence it has had on contemporary artists is a testament to its resilient nature remaining true to its origins in terms of technique and craftsmanship.
The group exhibition of Murad Khan Mumtaz, Mashal Zaheer and Michelle Farooqi held at the art gallery 8B2 by Fatima Hamid in Islamabad, opened on 18th March 2023. It stitches together unique aspects of miniature painting creating an anthology of aesthetics and methodologies in practising this classical art form.
Each artist while garnering a masterful relationship with traditional miniature painting, has purposefully infused their works with personal experiences. In the past, the miniature art form was considered to be a stronghold of impenetrable accuracy of line and form. However, the shifting paradigm reflected in the title of the exhibition “The Composite Artist,” reveals that selectively engaging with the medium can create multiple meaningful experiences for the artist and the viewer. The works can directly reference lived experiences that transcend the strict parameters of puritanism in miniature painting. The protagonist Behruz from the book, “I Am Red”, by the Iranian-American writer, Golnaz Hashemzadeh Bonde, immediately comes to mind when thinking about the role of the artist as a miniaturist. Behruz was drawn to miniature painting for its cultural significance and chose to challenge the historically male-dominated art form until she created a presence for herself. The story of Behruz is relatable as it transformed miniature art into an expression of freedom.
The accessibility of learning miniature has paved the way for artists to immerse themselves by acquiring the skills necessary to achieve highly technical compositions and brushwork. Mashal Zaheer’s journey in studying illumination began at Hast-o-Neest, Lahore which anchored her interests in further expanding her practice to Turkish tezhib. She mastered the techniques of gold illumination from a Turkish master for which she had to learn Persian language. The piece on display “Besmele-I Serif,” has been designed by the artist with accompanying calligraphy that is deeply spiritual. The delicate gradient of gold motifs references the sacred geometry of tezhib that she has incorporated autonomously. The optical depth captures the radiance of the sun, an iconic symbol depicting unity in faith. There is a magnifying glass placed for viewers to take a close look at the intricate detailing of the paintings “Sitara” and “My Universe”. The lens acts as a simulation of gazing at the stars through a telescope. The act of miniature painting has been established as meditative, seeing the act of creation as a gateway into entering a state of heightened consciousness. Zaheer’s practice pays homage to the classical traditions of gold illumination by recreating these flawless motifs captured in her compositions.
The academic pursuit of miniature creates a multitude of influences on contemporary artists, while Zaheer’s practice is tezhib, Mumtaz has an entirely different approach to practising miniature where he seeks to punctuate the intercultural symbolisms found across all South Asian traditions. His practice visually interprets historically recorded accounts of personalities by creating unique characterisations and environments for them through portraits, figuration, and landscapes. The series of works on display are inhabited by recognisable protagonists belonging to spiritualism and asceticism iconography. The frames are deliberately minimal to exaggerate the cinematic staging of the composition. Mumtaz assembles observational instances within his research that become pivotal moments of inspiration as seen in “Revelation”, which references the Siyer-i Nebi manuscript from Istanbul dated 1595 CE. The artist’s visual interjections of historical accounts of saints such as “Ghaus al-Azam”, “Kamal Das” and “Mazjub”, transforming him into a witness creating an opportunity for him to directly converse with history. The immediacy of the drawing line can be seen in “Krishna Slaying a Demon”, as the foreground is dedicated to the epic battle while the gentle rock formations have a quiet presence in the background. These gestural mountains make another appearance in the painting “Dusk”, towering over a brightly lit bonfire. There is a kind of worldbuilding happening within Mumtaz’s practice where he revisits history, folklore and mysticism through painting.
Michelle was in search of traditional painting techniques when she joined Hast-o-Neest, Lahore in 2020. She trained in traditional Islamic arts under the tutelage of Fyza Noon, who had learned tazhib-illumination from Ustad Bashir Ahmed. Her academic journey began in Canada and has since been evolving to merge the western to eastern sides of her art practice. Selected flora and fauna create painterly moments within the parameters of a gold-gilded frame as seen in “Rose with Bluebird” and “Roses with Humming Bird”. The artist freely explores traditional tezhib motifs, while incorporating modern elements such as dragons, snow leopards and birds. Paintings that capture the spirit of illumination are “Mirrored in Gold”, “Shamsa” and the “Secret Garden” series where the artist showcases the masterful control, consistency and composure that she has acquired over the years. The painting titled “Jacaranda Tree”, depicts a singular tree framed inside an arch window that is surrounded by intricate layers of motifs. The rich green hues paired with the purple flowers capture the seasonal tree in full bloom. The painting celebrates the arrival of spring, the bird gliding in the distance and the petals delicately spread across the grass completing the spring scenery. The balance between colour and form is harmonious in creating an incredibly enjoyable experience for the viewer.
Miniature painting continues to provide contemporary artists with the visual techniques to create a personalism realism that captures their complex cultural identities. Through their works, viewers can experience the emotions, beliefs and creative processes behind the artist's methodology.
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