An experiment in the abstract: A look at the Scenes Less Seen

Maham Suhail’s exhibit features 39 pieces she calls ‘digitised original art’.

LAHORE: Though they are without an overall theme, Maham Suhail’s 39 art pieces on display at the Alhamra Art Gallery build around the idea of abstraction.

Suhail is self-taught for the most part and has been drawing since an early age. She published a book titled Shades of Grey in 2008 and has been experimenting with photography since 2009.

Her exhibition Scenes Less Seen is her first. It features two video installations, an LED drawing and prints. Suhail said she liked to categorise her work as mix media digital art. “You can call it digitised original art, but it’s primarily modern art photography,” she said.

In explaining the medium she uses, she pointed towards one of her pieces titled Earth in Rotation. “My work is mixed media artwork where I use various media. In this particular painting, I used broken glass and melted wax and then photographed the result... hence the classification digitised original art work,” she said.

Suhail said her work reflected her personal journey in life. “My piece Black and Light relates to my journey in life itself.” She said her video art represented the same. Some of the videos were used in her still photography. “It is basically the relationship of darkness and light... that is what I believe my inward journey is about.” She said she saw it in a spiritual perspective. “My journey reflects inner light and that’s what a lot of my work speaks of.”

This is why there is not a lot of representative imagery in her work, she said. “Most of my work has a lot to do with moods and the aura of the mind and soul.”

When asked about the inspiration for her work, the artist said it came from God and the collective consciousness of the universe.

“Everything stems from Him and everything goes back to Him. The world is created by Him. Everything related to life in this world inspires me,” the artist said.

Safia Hassan, one of the visitors at the exhibition, said she found Suhail’s work remarkable. “I am impressed... this is a new idea of art.”

Suhail has also been singing since childhood. Though she enrolled in the MA Arts and Design Programme at Beaconhouse National University last year, she took a pause to focus more on her singing.

Her exhibit will continue till November 28, Friday.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 25^th, 2014.