Ayesha Durrani
I am a Contemporary Miniature Painter from Pakistan. It is a practice derived from traditional Mughal Painting from the Sub-Continent (present day India and Pakistan) with influences from Persia. Contemporary Miniature Painting is a medium based in Gouache, and I have been trained in the traditional method, however, I like to push the boundaries of this traditional medium and experiment with different mediums and techniques. Mostly I work in the genre of painting but I have also worked with fabric and mix media. I have exhibited my work all over the world including Turkey and I have also done a few commissioned projects. For one of my projects I worked with acid attack survivors in Pakistan. The project comprised of interviews with the survivors, women who have been disfigured by acid attacks. The project culminated in paintings and a presentation that I gave in Berlin at Ufer Studios in the summer of 2017.
My paintings are primarily done on “Wasli” a handmade paper based on traditional methods of paper making in the Mughal era. The subject of my work is on social issues regarding gender inequality and female identity while questioning regional customs and oppressive traditions regarding women. My work has been regarded as feminist in many journals and publications and has been mentioned in a number of books as well (mentioned in my cv). I have been working as a Contemporary Miniature painter since 2003. I’m also an Associate Professor in the department of fine Arts at the National college of Arts, Pakistan.