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Lot Essay
AISHA KHALID RECEIVED HER BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS FROM THE NATION COLLEGE OF ARTS, LAHORE. A TALENTED STUDENT OF THEIR MINIATURE PAINTING PROGRAM, SHE, ALONG WITH FELLOW CLASSMATE NUSRA LATIF QURESHI (SEE LOT 167 ), WERE RECENTLY PART OF THE GROUND-BREAKING EXHIBITION, KARKHANA, AT THE ALDRICH MUSEUM, CONNECTICUT, WHICH SHOWCASED CONTEMPORARY COLLABORATIONS IN MINIATURE PAINTING.
THE CURTAIN FIRST APPEARED IN HER WORK IN EARLY 2000, AS PART OF A SERIES FEATURING A TABLE AND FRUIT BASKET WITH OR WITHOUT A WOMAN SEATED BEFORE IT. THE SERIES, INSPIRED BY THE RECENT DEATH OF HER COUSIN WHO, BEING UNABLE TO HAVE CHILDREN, HAD TAKEN HER OWN LIFE, INTRODUCED A MOTIF THAT WOULD BECOME CRUCIAL PART OF HER OEUVRE. THE CURTAIN IS A CONSTANT PRESENCE IN HER WORK, AND HAS TAKEN THE PLACE OF THE FEMALE FIGURE COMPLETELY BOTH SHROUDING AND CONCEALING AS WELL AS REPLACING ITS PRESENCE. SUGGESTING BOTH THE BURQAH AND A GENERAL SENSE OF FEMININITY IN ITS RELATION TO CRAFT AND DOMESTICITY, THE USE OF DRAPED CLOTH OFTEN ADDS AN ELEMENT OF INTIMACY AND EVEN PRIVACY TO HER WORKS. IN THIS PAINTING, THE CURTAIN HAS ADOPTED THE CONVENTIONS OF BLANK NOTEBOOK PAPER, PULLING APART TO REVEAL A SWIRLING BLUE ABYSS. PERHAPS KHALID IS EXPOUNDING ON THE CREATIVE POTENTIAL OF WOMEN IN BRINGING DEPTH AND INTRIGUE TO BOTH THE WRITTEN PAGE AND THE CANVAS.
THE CURTAIN FIRST APPEARED IN HER WORK IN EARLY 2000, AS PART OF A SERIES FEATURING A TABLE AND FRUIT BASKET WITH OR WITHOUT A WOMAN SEATED BEFORE IT. THE SERIES, INSPIRED BY THE RECENT DEATH OF HER COUSIN WHO, BEING UNABLE TO HAVE CHILDREN, HAD TAKEN HER OWN LIFE, INTRODUCED A MOTIF THAT WOULD BECOME CRUCIAL PART OF HER OEUVRE. THE CURTAIN IS A CONSTANT PRESENCE IN HER WORK, AND HAS TAKEN THE PLACE OF THE FEMALE FIGURE COMPLETELY BOTH SHROUDING AND CONCEALING AS WELL AS REPLACING ITS PRESENCE. SUGGESTING BOTH THE BURQAH AND A GENERAL SENSE OF FEMININITY IN ITS RELATION TO CRAFT AND DOMESTICITY, THE USE OF DRAPED CLOTH OFTEN ADDS AN ELEMENT OF INTIMACY AND EVEN PRIVACY TO HER WORKS. IN THIS PAINTING, THE CURTAIN HAS ADOPTED THE CONVENTIONS OF BLANK NOTEBOOK PAPER, PULLING APART TO REVEAL A SWIRLING BLUE ABYSS. PERHAPS KHALID IS EXPOUNDING ON THE CREATIVE POTENTIAL OF WOMEN IN BRINGING DEPTH AND INTRIGUE TO BOTH THE WRITTEN PAGE AND THE CANVAS.