Since my work mostly revolves around women, I just want people to see women as a soul and not as an entity! How difficult can it be! I just want people to value other people. the world is growing out of love at a rapid pace I would always want my work to speak a language that keeps people connected and close to one another!
1. Tell us about your background and journey.
I am a self-taught freelance artist based and working in Kashmir. It’s been 3-4 years now that I am in this field. I am Kashmir’s first female self-taught mural artist and the only female mural artist from Kashmir presently. Although I am an entrepreneur working in Kashmir I was quite a normal girl in my school days who loved to draw and paint occasionally and not that much into art.
I remember my school art teacher always telling me to do the art homework that I never used to do! I completed my schooling at 'Green Valley educational institution', and choose nonmedical as a subject after 10th grade. Gradually I felt that I wanted to read something that I could myself relate to. I was never into science and stuff but loved humanitarian subjects so after 12th I changed my subjects to Literature and Psychology.
It was then when my interest in art revokes. I completed my graduation from Women's College MA road. I then went for a master's in psychology from Kashmir University! During my college and university days, I begin to feel something inside me that was not able to give voice to my emotions.
As a lonely child and a teenager, I was not about to express and vent out so I began to speak through my painting and that's how this journey started and I couldn’t b more thankful to the universe for this! I had no idea my passion would one day change into my profession but it did! Some dreams sure come true!
2. What inspired you to become an artist?
I always ask myself about what inspired me to become an artist and I always answer myself 'My Life did'. There were times in my life when I was completely broken and shattered with no one to talk to, no one to express myself to, maybe I was suffering from depression as well, God knows. These are the times where a person completely breaks down forever or gathers the courage to face 'Life' up face!
I did the same. For me, I would say I found myself in my work. No wonder my work speaks a lot about women's suffering and suppression because I am myself a woman and I have a fresh hand experience. That day when I painted my first painting, it was a strange but peaceful feeling I could see myself on the piece of canvas.
I could see my emotions, my sensitive delicate self wrapped in beautiful and sorrowful colors and that made me fall in love with it all over again! All I could feel was peace even though it was for a short span, but that one moment was to live for!
4 years have passed, and even now when I paint something for myself, not for money or orders, I feel the same feeling and I never put that work on sale because it’s priceless, for me at least! So even today I get inspired by Life, by people, by any small creature living on the planet! Inspiration can come from anywhere, from something as small as a butterfly to something as big as an ocean!
3. What themes and subjects attract you the most?
All my work is mainly focused on struggles faced by women in a world like this! This theme always gets something out of me because I in a way feel closely connected to the subject. This subject matter is quite personal and I strongly believe that no art can be ever created if there is no personal, emotional investment into it!
So I feel the same! In my painting, I show what women are afraid to speak about. It’s a depiction of how our society has turned ugly and insensitive to a woman's being, her existence! Also being a professional female mural artist in a place like Kashmir is a big deal in itself!
So for murals, I mainly do customized work as ordered by the clients. They just forward me an idea and I work on a couple of samples and rough sketches before painting the entire wall! Besides these, I am also into paper mache Kashmiri art, calligraphy, and also among few artists in Kashmir working with resin! I love to create geodes and customized resin artworks.
4. How would you describe your art style and aesthetics?
I would say my work is somewhere between contemporary conceptual work and abstract aesthetics. My work always has a message, concept, or a story in colors, on canvas!
I am also into abstracts and whenever I paint an abstract piece, everything just flows naturally. It’s effortless! As if it comes to me! I feel it as something really spiritual even though I might b not able to recognize the energy for now but I always feel it strongly!
5. What impact do you want to create through your work?
I just want to be a voice to the voiceless! If a person likes my work or shares my work or just comments on my work either positive or negative it shows that somewhere deep in his heart he's touched by it. Somewhere inside it touched his heart and that’s how he responded! That impact is enough for me! I just want people to feel what a lot of people feel inside and are never able to say or express it!
Since my work mostly revolves around women, I just want people to see women as a soul and not as an entity! How difficult can it be! I just want people to value other people. the world is growing out of love at a rapid pace I would always want my work to speak a language that keeps people connected and close to one another!
Talking in terms of work I was trying to create a market for all the artists self-learned preferably in Kashmir which I think I have, to some extent succeeded in creating, where people could check and buy their work(guess I took the lead in that and others are following and I couldn't be happier!
6. What tips and advice would you give to aspiring artists?
I guess I won’t b giving any tips as such just some things that I myself follow. Never start doing something like this for fame and money, if you're into the field for this then you're in the wrong one!
Never give up on your passion, you will regret it for life! Keep practicing! Don't ever compare yourself and your work with one another, you don't have the same journeys so why compare? Never discourage! Smile a little more every day!
7. Which artist do you admire the most and why?
I admire Frida Khalo. That's because I so relate to her work! The self-portraits she’s painted describe her entire life and tragedies! She has given beautiful colors to her tragedies.
Can you think of anything more beautiful than that? Also, it has a funny side to it, a lot of my friends say I resemble her a little so my day is made!
My name is Shafiya Shafi. I am a freelance artist based in Kashmir. I am Kashmir’s first female self-taught mural artist and the only one from Kashmir for now. I am born and brought up in Kashmir only. I am a Masters's in Psychology from the University of Kashmir. Currently, I am working as an entrepreneur, art
instructor in DUBAI GRAND INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, and also as a mural artist.
Couple Of Awards that I Have Won
- 1 st position in “National level Installation Competition” organized by Association of Indian universities, held at Ranchi University, Jharkhand-India, 20th February 2018.
- 2 nd position in “North Zone Inter-University Installation Competition” organized by Association of Indian universities, held at Maharishi Markandeshwar University,
Ambala, Punjab-India, 20th January 2018.
Interviewed By - Serene Ingle
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