TEHMINA SHAH:
Exhibition: Building Bridges 2
28th July to 9th September 2007
Wakefield Art Gallery
Co-funded by: Arts Council and The Prince of Wales Arts & Kids Foundation
"I love the contrast between the flexibility and fluidity of the batik wall-hanging against the stark contrast of the wall."
This builds on Tehmina's ideas, contrasting from fluidity to rigidity; splashes of colour against detailed black ink work as well as ongoing artistic development in the arena of community and individual.
Taken from oil pastel drawings to silk painting, then finally reaching a combined use of colour and image in the form of batik, the images presented seem fragmented, but take on a whole collective piece of every child's work. Their ideas, expression and imaginative thinking.
"The Building Bridges project has been an exciting, creative journey. Each child has used art and textiles to show what they think their landscape seems to them."
Islamic, Arabic and Asian inspiration form part of Tehmina's cultural background.
These influences are illustrated in her work with the use of abstract leaves, flowers and Arabic lettering. Ink and paper are used to develop her ideas and to form visual expressions of shapes, patterns and design through textile media.
Colour, pattern and movement are also important ...
"I like to draw upon the entire process from designing and drawing with black ink, then recreating aspects of that through dyeing, colouring, painting and stitching with mirror-work."
Although black ink has become increasingly more important, the use of silk painting and batik is still an integral part of her artistic development.
Silk painting is a versatile and unique art media which enables the fluid movement of paint flow throughout the fabric expressing themselves in an almost therapeutic way.
The art of batik is a great form of expression and breaking down barriers, as is the creative process of any art media.
The use of batik conveys a technique that children can create a forever-flowing movement of forms, each different and unique. It lends itself to a certain freedom in the form of letting ideas flow spontaneously.
Tehmina worked with children from Sandal Magna School.
Taking inspiration from the landscape design for The Hepworth Wakefield, the children produced a batik wall-hanging.
This tells a story from each child's perspective; their ideas, expressions, patterns that surround The Hepworth Wakefield site.
