The New Nation - Internet Edition

Sheikh Arif Bulbon

"My studio is the most important place of my daily life. In my studio I spent most of the time, creating my pieces. The atmosphere of the studio inspires me to paint whenever I feel like. It got its own meditative aura to make me feel at peace to create and experience the journey of creation all together. My studio has the perfect spiritual connection with my soul and surroundings. I believe every artist has desire to have their own place for inner exploration. So they have their studio. All my paintings are all around the space, which helps me to see all the works each day and night. So I can feel the warmth of each of them," Nazia Andaleeb Preema, visual artist, Chair and Creative Director of Preema's Atelier, said this at her open studio exhibition of Eid holidays.

Preema organised the open studio exhibition at her studio at House No 28 (3rd floor) old DOHS at Banani in the capital during the Eid vacation.

The open studio exhibition was continued from October 12 to 18 from 4:00pm to 8:00pm. During that time she worked there and exchanged her works with artists, art lovers and critics. While asking about her works and working process she said, "My works are dependent on design fundamentals like form, colour and composition. I believe the most complex emotion can be evoked from the simplest of forms. My style explores the relationship between man-made structures and the natural world - the idea recognisable shapes and structures living within irrational thoughts and emotions. I begin a piece very spontaneously and become more detailed as the composition starts to show itself. The process involves layering. The first layers are the most erratic and freeform, similar to automatic writing. An impasto style is used during this time creating thick textures. I sometimes add other elements like pumice, gels and collage in these early layers. There are no preliminary sketches or notions of what is going to transpire. I notice different characters and forms in the middle of the process, which I then nature and allow developing almost at their own will. A dialogue is created with the paintings, and it starts to show me what needs to be done. Determining when a painting is finished is a crucial and difficult step in my process.

I always have to see it with fresh eyes after at least a day has passed to decide it is finished." Many artists, art critics including foreigners, media personnel and visitors came into the studio to see the exhibition and to share experiences with her about her art works and working processes.

She said, "I derive titles in the same spontaneous fashion that the work is created. They are intended to give the painting an identity and character. My colour theory, which seems to be the most immediate aspect of my work to the viewer, is very instinctive and unorthodox. In recent years, I have been using more neutral and oxide colours to enhance the vivid colours, which would be similar to a less is more technique in a more traditional style. Non-object abstract art is difficult to fathom, and this keeps the viewer interested. As an artist, I am intrigued by this idea. I believe how the viewer interprets the painting becomes the reality for that person. I would be reluctant to interject another perspective."