Novelty comes from peeling paint from canvas, says artist

Self taught artist puts 28 paintings on display at Alhamra Art Gallery

LAHORE: The novelty in a painting comes not just from applying layers of paint to the canvas but also from peeling off these layers, says Qamar Riaz Cheema.

His solo exhibition, Twilight, is underway at  Alhamra Art Gallery. As many as 28 acrylic- and oil- on canvas paintings are on display.

Cheema says he puts layers of paint on canvas and one by one peels those layers off to give finishing touches to a painting. He refers to the technique as Peelism and says that he pioneered it this year. He says he intends to build an art movement around the use of the technique. “It’s a new genre in contemporary art. I want artists to give it a shot,” he says.

Cheema says he draws inspiration for his paintings from the works of Jackson Pollock, Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, and Vincent Van Gogh.

He says he learnt painting on his own.  “I read books on art and art history in spare time,” he says.

He says he took up painting as a hobby in 2010. This is his second solo exhibition. In 2013, his work was ranked 36th among 4,000 participants at an international competition. He is a civil servant by profession.

Photographer Umair Ghani says he believes novelty is a hallmark of good art. “A good painting or photograph should not make an observer remember other paintings or photographs,” he says. He says the work of artists who put in an effort in this regard should be appreciated. “Cheema has done a fantastic job with the paintings on display,” he says. “He’s meticulous in the use of the cubist technique. He’s ensured that those who look at his work won’t recognise him only as a cubist,” he says.

Ghani says there are several phases in an artist’s professional life. He says Cheema’s intellectual journey has got off to a great start and he’s hopeful that he’ll keep growing as an artist.

The show will conclude on December 31st (tomorrow).

Published in The Express Tribune, December 30^th, 2015.