Bushra, how would you define your general aesthetic and style of work?
To be very precise, the mainstream of my work is divergence in approach of visual language along with the evolution in the idea of responding to the time and place. The genre of my work includes painting, sculpture while shifting to installation at times. It ranges from the realistic and distorted figurative art and to the imaginary world incorporating with the idea, from representative beautifying imagery to apparently abstract visuals, and sometimes accentuating merely the tactile quality. All these phases don’t occur in any order but work in a dynamic pattern.
Which artists have inspired your work over the years?
Countless artists have been inspiring me in various phases of my life, building my aesthetic preferences piling on my previous learning and inspirations, from Old masters to contemporary visual artists. Specifically talking about this series, Hayao miyazaki and Ghiblee studio are my main inspirations. Even while painting “Wings of Desire-I” I had Hawl (leading character of Ghiblee studio animated movie “Howl’s Moving Castle”) in my mind.
What does ‘Lufterray’ mean and how did you come up with the name for the show?
Lufteray means “a desire to live above the sky” and my presented series is all about that. An escape from reality, into the world of imagination which has no limits. During the busy schedule while putting my ideas on canvas I couldn’t find the time to put my whole series in one liner or word. And that is where discussions with my friends played a crucial role. I must admit, my friends helped me to put the whole idea of my series into one word.
What is the concept behind your current solo show at Pakistan Art Forum?
This series is an outcome of my escape from reality and day-dreaming affair to create a never-never land which is above the sky and without limit. Different works are presenting variant facets of my imaginary world. Some comprising the vastness of belief, tranquility, strength while the other constitute boundedness and loop. As I presented these dynamic situations, I kept one element intact and that is visual pleasure.
We see a lot of surrealism and fantasy in your body of work. Is this style something that is popular with the Pakistani market?
Pakistani art market is diverse in every facet, including the visual language. Along with countless other styles, surrealism and fantasy, because of their pleasing imaginary approach, have maintained their worth here. But my selection of visual language in the presented series is not being influenced with its popularity in Pakistan art scene. The reason to go with these visuals is my admiration for animated series and fantasy movies.
Tell us about your experience of working with Pakistan Art Forum?
Pakistan Art Forum has been playing the nourishing role in my art journey. From online representation to the participation in PAF Art Soiree and now a solo representation through this gallery. If it weren’t for Imtisal Zaffar the venture of solo show wouldn’t have been possible as he showed his full support throughout the endeavor. The event went smooth because of the administration’s well-planned efforts.
What are your upcoming future projects?
I have a lot of things in pipeline. On top of that is polishing my artistic research. I strongly believe that activism has the power to transform the society. So, by analyzing my weak points along with the strengths I feel the need to present the ideas with better contextualization and crystallization in the ways which are comprehendible yet appealing to art lovers. Also, I am working on another series, which is synecdoche of a harsh reality and is completely opposite to the Lufterray series. Hopefully, you guys will get to see that soon.