FATIMA AHMED

Artist Profile

Fatima Ahmed

Asked about the influences on her art, Fatima Ahmed names Gaughin, Cezanne, Van Gogh ("whom I admire, but who did not really influence my work") and, most importantly, Modigliani. "At my first Bombay show in 1962, the critics referred to me as the female Modigliani. I was very taken by his elongated figures." After painting for forty years, however, no single influence remains to be seen in her work; rather, Ahmed has forged her own unique style. A consistent element has been placement of the single feature in a painting with a great deal of open space. "I dislike crowded compositions", she says. Recently, she finished a painting with the two figures, but she stresses "even there, there was still a lot of space."

Speaking on her use of light, she explains, "Light can make a lot of difference to a work. The light created within a painting is part of the tonal effects. I always leave certain portions of the canvas light, absolutely white. I am very particular about this, and my finishing touches will sometimes take more than ten days. Subtlety in painting in crucial to me -I want my paintings to be like whispers, not loud cries."

Asked about the changes in her work, she says that the first figures were "sculptural", with a dark background, and defined by lines of strong light. Recently such harsh lines have fallen away, and she describes a new lightness in her painting, coupled with the absence of definite lines. "The figure dissolves into the background, the background dissolves, into the figure-there is more of an interplay now." Ahmed tends to work on a single painting at a time, explaining that "I must finish a painting before I can move on." Ahmed continues to work with the technique of floating colors, a process which is quite time consuming. "I cannot correct a painting, because it would create a thickness to the canvas and my aim is transparency. So I cannot paint absent-mindedly."

Asked about her goals for the future works, she mentions that she is considering return to watercolors. "In 1990, when I returned to painting after a gap, I showed water colors for the first time. But after that, I returned to oils, which was my first love." Recently, however, she has been looking through her unfinished water colors, as well as contemplating a mixed media project that would combine water colors, gouache, and ink on handmade paper, on a large scale. "This has been brewing in my imagination for some time," she says.

Education

1960 Diploma in Painting from College of Fine Arts, Hyderabad, India

Exhibitions

2003 at Jehangir Art Gallery Mumbai.
1963-1996 Solo-Exhibition Mumbai.
1996 at Jehangir Art Gallery Mumbai.
1994 of Water Colours at Gallery April Mumbai.
1993 at Jehangir Art Gallery Mumbai.
1990 Exhibition of Water Colours Mumbai.
1980 at Gallery Chemould Mumbai.
1962–1965 Solo Exhibition Hyderbad, New Delhi, Chennai.
2005 by Gallery Art & Soul Singapore
2005 Indonesian & India Art Show Singapore
2005 ‘Colours of Life’ by Cancer Patients Aid Assoc. Mumbai
2004, 2005 ‘Monsoon Show’ by Concern India Mumbai
2004 ‘Women Artist’ New Delhi
2004 by Gallery Art & Soul Mumbai
2002, 2003 Show at Intex, by Colours on Canvas Gallery Dubai
2001 Show by Gallery Guild Hong Kong
2001 Show by Gallery Art Resource Trust Dubai
2000 Show by Gallery Art Resource Trust Mauritius
1999, 2000 ‘Art in Miniature Format’ at Sans Tache Gallery Mumbai
1998, 2000 ‘Art Access Week’ at Birla Art Gallery Mumba
1998 'Mumbai Artist' by NGMA Mumbai
1997 ‘Harmony Show’ Mumbai
1997 ‘Fifty Years of Independence’, show by RPG Mumbai
1997 ‘Mother Theresa’, show by RPG Mumbai
1995 ‘Bombay’, show by RPG Mumbai
1992 Show at Bharat Bhavan Bhopal
1992 ‘Ekta’, traveling exhibition by SAHMAT
1988 ‘Art for CRY’ orgainsed by CRY Mumbai
1986 ‘Four Women Artist’ at Chetna Art Gallery Mumbai
1985 Group show at Gallery Crimson Bangalore
1984 ‘Women Artist of India’ at NGMA New Delhi
1975, 1976 Group show at Gallery Arts-38 London
1967 Paris Bienalle for young Artist Paris

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