Connection, Fusion, ConFusion

Thanks for your suggestion ZahraJ. :)

Fiz, well… the main objective of displaying my work here is to get the highest praise from all the viewers. ;) You’ve done the right thing. This is exactly what you have to do here. hehehe…:) Thanks a lot.

Thanks Cipram :)

i love the pictures.

maryam i am new here so i dont exactly know what one has to do here, obviously voluntarily, as in do ur pictures get displayed here and we have to give our views on it? anyway i love ur pics

Maryam: If I were you, I would submit the paintings from MaryamII on Chowk. I think they were submitted sometime back in 2003. All three of them along with the first one published on Chowk in 2002 would form a real nice package for the event I have posted. Also, please make sure that you describe the paintings in a few lines.
Best Wishes.

Malik99, this is not a stupid question at all…Actually naming a work is as difficult as naming a baby. So after finishing a work I discuss it with my family and friends, and try to derive an appropriate title from the discussion. Same is the case with “Silent Prayers for Time”. :)

ZahraJ, thanks a lot for your e-mail as well :)… I hope we’ll stay in touch.

Regards
Maryam :)

Maryam,

See if you’d be interested in submitting your applicable artwork to IWL for their upcoming conference in Boston, MA.
Good Luck!
----------------
Indus Women Leaders (IWL) is a national forum that develops South Asian women leaders. IWL provides South Asian women with the resources to achieve their life goals through goal setting tools, advocacy, networking, mentorship, and education.

IWL empowers South Asian women to become great leaders by unleashing their potential through a strong foundation of support, inspiration, and mentorship. IWL enables South Asian women to harness their ambition to achieve their life goals.

We are seeking visual art for our exhibition entitled Harmony of Hues. The exhibition will take place during the artist reception from 5:30 PM - 8 :00 PM

Leadership Summit in Boston, Saturday October 23, 2004.

WHERE : Double Tree Guest Suites
400 Soldiers Field Road,
Boston, MA 02134-1893

http://www.induswomenleaders.org/Default.aspx?tabid=723

Applica nts must be WOMEN of SOUTH ASIAN ORIGIN. We are accepting all visual art from all mediums including, but not limited to:

* Paintings
* Photography
* Small Sculpture
* Textile
* Crafts
*
Each work should interpret at least one of the following themes:
- Influence
- Power
- Balance
- Diamonds (literal) or Hidden Treasures (figurative)

For consideration, please submit the following by MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13th:
- Artist Statement
- DIGITAL FILES (preferred) or Slides of the work you wish to include (no more than 5 pieces per applicant)
- Detailed description of each work (including size, medium, approx. value, etc.)
- Please indicate if you would be willing to sell your work at a silent auction during the conference (a portion of the proceeds going to IWL, and the rest to you)
- Pieces that are chosen will to be framed/made ready for display at artist’s expense

Send Submissions to :
EMAIL : rebecca_karamehmedovic@timeinc.com
PHONE : 212-414-2023
MAILING ADDRESS : Rebecca Karamehmedovic
450 W. 25th #2
New York, NY 10001

maryam - perhaps this a stupid question, but how do you name your works? do you have in your mind what you would name it and then you work on it? for example, how did you come to name your work as "silent prayers of time"??

thanks :)

Thanks twintopaz... :)

maryam..me being a novice in arts.... its difficult to absorb the true essence of your wrok but i like it specially the "A Game of Traditions "..good work

Thanks for your comments Hermit. :) Yes I’ve used colours of Ajrak … you are right about it. :)

Jiteshmalik , thanks for giving so detailed comments and viewing my previous works as well. :)
You find some similarity of my current work with my previous painting “Isolation” probably because that too was based upon the idea of communication and technology. It would be nice to know about the similarities you find.
As far as conceiving the pieces are concerned, it happened both ways, I made rough sketches before starting the work and it also evolved as I was working.
Thanks again.

Regards,
Maryam :)

The textural quality of your work reminds me of textiles, in fact when I first saw the first three images; I thought they were pieces of dyed textiles. Now that I know they are ceramic and wood, it makes them even more compelling. I am particularly intrigued by the use of black in your work. It has a transcendental quality especially in ’Silent Prayers for time’ and ’patterns of life’. The ‘patterns of life’ reminds me of patterns one sees reflected/refracted from the surface of water with a thin film of oil, they keep changing really fast, very much like our lives…..you present a frozen frame of that ever changing life… The black frame also works well with most of the work but I think it needs careful attention; it wants to be a part of you work and I think it is also, I wonder if it is intentional?

There are some works in this series that I think are not mature enough at this point, not to mean that, there is not enough potential hidden underneath, ‘Haunted by thoughts of Identity’ is too literal and also in execution not as convincing as your other work. ‘Link’ and ‘Game of tradition’ seem only patterns which you might use in your future work.

I can also see a thread of continuity from earlier work; ‘isolation’. It seems many of the woks in this current series is coming from that piece. If I were you, I will not part with that painting. Also, could you tell a little bit about process, how do you conceive your mixed media pieces, do you draw them out before or they keep evolving as you experiment.

Another observation: The digital images of your work do not do full justice to your work. Could be photographed with better light conditions, also they do not fit in the rectangular frame, if the edges are a little crooked, you can leave a lot of white space around the image, or could use photoshop to enhance the image quality, not critical but important if you want to present work in electronic media.

Great work, I hope to see more of it and probably some day in person. Good Luck

Remarkable Maryam. Although I don’t know much abt painting but I m sure this would certainly a notable work for critics too.

I just wanna share my views abt the last three paintings. Paused at door of Perception, a comment; Door, locks, chains don’t you think these symbols now need to be replaced with some new ideas. I mean ur work is throwing the whole idea but may b in a bit usual manner.

Link; despite earning bread n butter from communication sector, I hve no doubt that over communication is causing so much confusion in every field of life. Sorry Tikkay but it looks drowning generation to me in the flood of communication. Color scheme gave me this impression.

Haunted by the Thoughts of Identity; the subject that always haunt me. Honestly. The piece I enjoyed most. ‘Connection of societies, fusion of cultures and confusion in minds’ everything you portrayed masterly. I can see newspaper lines in background and the maroon color, to me it represent ajjraak (symbol of Indus River culture). Wat do u say?

Great work I am saying it again. I think your first three work pieces deserve physical presence. Hope I ill catch them in my next visit to Lahore.

Chow

Khurram

Dear ZahraJ, You can write/guide to me anytime on my email address marypainter@yahoo.com . I’ll be thankful. :)

Tikkay, Thanks for admiring “silent prayers for time”. The size is 2.5 x 5.25 feet. Best of luck to you as well. :)

Maryam :)

Maryam,

I had read your note on Chowk regarding some critique and suggestions way back. Unfortunately, I lost track of that note and did not know where to provide my feedback. Some of your work needs to come out of the local exhibitions and should be presented worldwide/elsewhere.

Regards

"Silent Prayers for Time" really has an eerie feeling to it, what’s the actual size of this thing? ....
really felt like one can stand in front of this piece for hours.....just visualizing the ’Time’ ...my time, every ordinary individuals time.... the time spent in prayers and the time lost
Sort of really depicts the existence of the ’One and Only’ to whom everything belongs; be it time or us.

Why is that everyone thinks of Identity existing in black n’ white

’Link’ seems more like a telecomm company’s logo.... :)

I must say bravo to your effort ...seems like the grey cells have been effeciently utilized

take care and best of luck for the future

..tikka

Thanks Romair,
Well… it happens so that we display our work in different art exhibitions where we can sell it. There is a young artist’s exhibition going on even these days at Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore where I’ve displayed two of my works. The price of the work varies from work to work and from artist to artist.
Mostly this type of work is created just once. So you can contact any art gallery to buy an art piece and if you are interested in my work you may write to me at marypainter@yahoo.com for further details. :)


Nazarhayatkhan, Thanks a lot for your kind words. :)

Regards
Maryam

Maryam

Impressed. Very unusual. Very ancient.

NHK

Nice work!!

A query: what happens to all the work that is done by art students? Can one purchase it? For example, how much would something similar to what you have done cost, assuming there was only going to be one original copy, done by the artist. I need to buy some pieces for my office, and I want to buy something that only has one copy........

Thanks a lot for your kind appreciation ZahraJ :)

Thanks for appreciating my work FarzanaVersey … :) Yeah I baked the pieces in kiln and then fixed it on wood but no I didn’t paint the ceramic work. I used special clay though that was black in colour.
As far as method of combining two is concerned you can say I painted the surface first and then superimposed the ceramic work later.
Thanks again. :)

Ahmad Bilal , I wish you all the best for everything as well . :) Thanks again.

Thanks a lot Elusive for your sincere appreciation of my work. :)

Well Azure yeah that really seems nice in real, to me at least :) Ok …I’ll try my best to choose a better theme next time. But actually I can paint best what moves me the most. But I’ll also keep your advice in mind. :)… All the best to you as well. Thanks. :)

Maryam

i am blown away by the unique creativity expressed by the artist.

"Haunted by the Thoughts of Identity" in particular grasped my attention.

Best of Luck for the future.

Kind regards.

Woohoo! This is beautiful work Mary! I really liked your ’paused at the door of perception’. I’m sure it would look beautiful in real as you say it would then give a 3d relief sculpture look.

The work is awesome and so are the themes. But I would like to suggest that you choose a LOT more stronger themes next time. Stuff that would stay in the viewers mind for sometime like a haunting image... something about the lives of people and the little things that make their lives happy or miserable. I find contrasts very fascinating, and maybe that’s what gives a painting a lot of life. I’m sure you’ll get a very big audience that way! Wishing you all the best for your future work.

Maryam:

Some amazing work here...you have explained the purpose in great detail and I am fascinated by your use of two media. How did you fuse the two on wood -- did you work on the ceramic in the kiln before and superimpose the paint work over it later? Just wondering...

I particularly liked ’Paused at the door of perception’, which is reminiscent of tribal art, and ’Haunted by the thoughts of identity’, which has a ’masque’-like appeal, that even in its rough-hewn manner is obviously sophisticated. Somewhat like the theatre of the absurd and expressionist German cinema.

I do feel though that the imagery in ’Link’ was a bit cliched...it just did not gave the same flavour and delicacy of the rest. But that’s a small nit.

Best wishes for your further experimental efforts...

Maryam, it is always a pleasure to discuss your work with you. You had some brilliant ideas for this series of paintings, which were executed well in a unique way. I wish you best of luck with the upcoming exhibitions and everything else in life. Thanks.

Very artistic and authentic. Great Work.