ISLAMABAD – The beauty of rock carvings is that they can withstand the storms and tell stories of the distant past even after a thousand year. I can’t imagine how my marks on stones will be perceived.
Dawn spoke to Fauzia Minallah, an award-winning artist and activist, about her new body of work, which includes 18 slab engravings featuring images of women, floral patterns, and calligraphy that depicts verses from Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poems, Fehmida Riaz, and Kishwar Naheed. Dawn also discussed violence against women, environmental degradation, and gender discrimination.
In the midst of the tension in the capital, a small group of nature and art lovers gathered under an old banyan in a quiet corner of F-9 Park to view Ms Minallah’s work. Capital Development Authority (CDA), Capital Citizens Committee near Flying Club, have saved the tree and other native trees as natural monuments.
The show was opened by Dr Fauzia Saeed (ex-director general of the Pakistan National Council of the Arts, PNCA).
The artist shared fond memories from Hazara and Peshawar, Gilgit and Mohenjodaro, Quetta and Lahore, where she spent most of her childhood. These valleys’ rich and varied heritage and natural monuments, she stated, have shaped her entire life and inspired her art.
It is a celebration my childhood memories of playing at the Gangar Hills, Hazara’s slate cemeteries, and Gilgit rock carvings.
For nearly six months, I have been drilling holes in slabs made of stone. Initially, I draw lines with chalk. The final image is composed with a drill. I love dots. I don’t have time for parties or networking. Ms Minallah stated that although it is physically demanding, the creative process is well worth it.
Fauzia is one the few artists who has not just felt the effects of climate change and urban expansion upon nature, but has also organized protests for the preservation of old trees as natural monuments in the capital.
My work is displayed under an old tree as a way to celebrate mother nature’s amazing art. She said that it is also a celebration of mother nature’s wonderful creations. The beauty of the tree’s aerial roots is that they grow back into the ground and become trunks over time. Both are in danger of being destroyed.
She uses mixed media and draws inspiration from ancient Gandhara art, which she discovered in the cemeteries of Sirikot, near Haripur.
Dr Saeed, who was inspired by the artist’s devotion and activism, said that Fauzia’s works had always inspired her. She is a down-to-earth activist and artist. Her unique qualities are deeply rooted in the soil. These qualities are evident in her work.
Tahira Abdullah, a human rights activist, recited Kishwar Naheed’s famous poem Hum Gunehgar Aurtain (“we the sinful woman”)
This new work aims to bridge art and social movements. The artist works with children and families from underprivileged classes. He has also established Funkor Child Art Centre, which promotes harmony.
Published in Dawn, 28 March 2022