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ZARINA HASHMI An independent artist, pledged to freedom, Zarina Hashmi recently exhibited her impressive graphics at the Pundole Art Gallery, with warm, beautiful wood as her medium. The creations amply demonstrated her distinctive talent in the field of graphic art. Born to paint, Zarina Hashmi said: "I have throughout been influenced by S.W. Hayter, to whom I owe everything." She worked with him at the 'Atelier 17' Paris, winning the National Award for painting in 1969. Born and educated in Aligarh, Zarina tends to reject tradition. "If you have to be creative, you cannot consciously keep looking back on tradition", she affirmed. And again: "Only when you have nothing to say, you take refuge in tradition." Zarina Hashmi personally has nothing against artists who stay close to tradition though. Very widely-travelled, Zarina says: "Workwise, an artist needs to live with himself. He does not have to go places. It is just one process of living." About modern art, Zarina Hashmi has definite views: "Today's art has much to say: We represent what we are or what we will be. We are moving so fast that in ten year's time, what we achieve today will not be labelled 'modern'." And, about young artists abroad, Zarina maintains : "They are doing tremendous work. In our country, it is less so. Tradition is the handicapping factor, which slows down progress." Yet, Zarina chooses to reside in India. "Here, living is not a strain. Moreover, you work attuned to your surroundings." A believer, this sturdy artist declares : "I like open spaces. I like the emptiness they convey. I am fascinated by empty courtyards, bare walls and miles and miles of nothing, and yet I reject nothing." Her other interests? Literature and films. 8 Graphic Artist By Ratan Karaka THE CURRENT A graphic artist ZARINA HASHMI came to CURRENT the other day. This fascinating 33-year-old artist held a most interesting show at Bombay's Pundole art gallery recently. She showed about 22 graphics. A graphic is a print. It has a special technique. First you make a block and carve it into shape. It's a bit of carpentry in the artist's workshop. The block being complete you apply some printing ink with a roller on to that block. This block is then put onto a press and then several copies are printed from it. The prints are dried and then sold. If it;s a print by a very well-known artist, the price is sometimes fabulous. But the prices of prints by new artists are reasonable. The graphics by Zarina are very contemporary, very abstract. They go to the very heart of things like "time" and "space". [[Image]] Zarina at work Represents the void "At the moment I am trying to represent the void", she explained. "Just like you can say lots of things with a minimum amount of words, so you can say lots of things with a few lines". She tries to say a great deal with as few lines as possible on her blocks. She tries 'to do away with the inconsequential things'. By a process of elimination she is often left with a line! Sometimes with a strip of wood!! I was fascinated. Her background is interesting. Born in a very traditional family of old Aligarh (her father is a professor and her mother wore the veil), she was educated there, then married a diplomat and went to live in Bangkok and Paris. She worked at the well-known studio, atelier 17, and, then at St. Martin's School of Arts, London. She has had shows in Delhi and Tokyo. Her works have been bought by the Lalit Kala Akademi, Delhi; by the top galleries in Brussels, London, Paris, and Australia. Her earlier mathematical studies have given her work a certain precision. "You see if you keep repeating a line, it is not only repetitive, it also builds up an image. . ." She is interested in amongst other things the new novel as explained by Alain Robbe Grillet and in the works of Marcel Proust who 'recreates time in a sense in his work.' "At last I am doing what I have always wanted to do," Zarina stressed. She has also made some large tapestries and wall-hangings from her graphics. These have been used in hotels, airline offices and large halls. Zarina is a most talented but shy woman. Eve's Weekly, January 9, 1971
