Art For Thought

Ahmer Farooq a Lahori with a passion for art has devoted his creative energies to creating powerful artworks over the years. He works as Director Marketing for a high street fashion brand in Lahore during the day and dedicates time to make some amazing artwork, a skill he worked on throughout after getting his primary art education from Bedford Modern School.

His idea is to produce contemporary art that depicts current concerns, anxieties, and aspirations by focusing on personalities and movements in an evocative and alluring manner. GLOSS interviews the man himself to know more about his artist persona.

What sparked your interest in becoming an artist?
I was always interested in colours and shapes from a very young age, but I never wanted to be an artist. Unlike many Pakistani parents, my parents always wanted me to become an artist and supported my talent. They wanted me to go to an art school, which ultimately I refused and ended up going to a business school after finishing my basic education in art.

What inspires your work? What kind of art do you create?
Mostly, I get inspired by people, the social issues around me and how they interact with the society. I like to create art which speaks to the viewer. I like to create art that is not only nice to look at but has a message behind it.

Any specific message you are trying to convey via your work?
Since my inspiration comes from the social issues, I use my art to convey my point of view on a specific issue. It could range from mother-child relationship to women’s rights and even adultery. Sometimes the concept of one of my collection flows into another collection. However, there are times when my work is on an entirely different topic.

What is your art philosophy?
Since art is something that should be able to engage the viewer in any form at any level, it is something to ponder about. Thus, I can say that my art should be able to trigger emotions in a viewer.

Tell us a little about your previous exhibitions and the concept behind each exhibition?
I have taken part in various group shows around the world, and each collection had a different concept.

The theme of one of my solo-show was inspired by the women around me and their role in our society.

The other focused on prominent Pakistani women, such as Mukhtara Mai, Benazir Bhutto, Malala, Noor Jahan and so on, depicting their public image and their private personalities.

I have shown my work at Dubai, London, Islamabad, Lahore and Bedford.

What role does the artist have in society?

I would say that artists are public speakers, except they have a different way to communicate. They use their paintings to converse with the public about a particular topic or an issue.

What is your most inspirational piece of art?
I do not have a specific piece of art; but, I love the artworks by Sadequain, Picasso, Van Gogh, Anish Kapoor and Damien Hirst to name a few.

What sort of planning goes into creating an artwork?
The very first step is scribbling down the idea as soon as it hits you. This is the reason I have a sketchbook with me most of the times, so whenever I am hit with an idea, I scribble it down immediately. Then after developing the concept, I start working on the canvas or the chosen base.

I pick my colours depending on the message I want to convey, which are mostly primary or bright colours.

What is your signature style?
The use of bright colours has to be my signature. Although, I don’t think an artist can confine self to a style. The most important thing for any artist is to get the message across.

What kind of art do you collect and does it impact your life and work in any way?
I do not collect art. What I do collect are leaflets and brochures which are nicely designed.

What does the future of art world look like in Pakistan?
I think that even though the art scene in Pakistan is moving in the right direction, there is a need to focus more on public art displays.

People related to the art industry are slowly and gradually becoming more professional. We have more art galleries than before in the country. Every year, the number of artists displaying their work internationally is increasing. This is because people are learning more about art and have realised that it is something that should be appreciated by everyone and just not by a niche market.

What has been the most challenging bit of being an artist especially in Pakistan?
For me, the most challenging part of being an artist in Pakistan is that we don’t get the recognition that we should. Not only that, as an artist, you have to do everything yourself, from painting to selling and even marketing.

Whereas, in my opinion, the artist should only focus on producing the creative work and let the professionals handle the rest.

What is in the pipeline for you and where can we see your next exhibition?
I am working on a solo show in Pakistan and the US, nothing is finalised yet. So let’s see which part of the world my art takes me next.

Any piece of advice for the aspiring artists?
Just keep on producing work and share it with the world.

What is your art world pet peeve?
Pseudo intellectuality.