Aliya Khan

ARTIST STATEMENT

My work is mostly inspired and influence by what I see and sense around me, in the form of books, magazine, photos, objects, music or a video, which I can relate to and interpret my story through splashing colour! These influences often find their way into my paintings and I feel a need to capture the moments, space and translate the ideas into a visual form.

However, my creative process is very unpredictable; often my finished paintings are quite different from my original conceptions.

My artistic expression has gone through many phases over the years resulting in a highly personal approach and perspective. I am never content with standing still and always looking for my next engaging project.

Meet Aliya Khan

Aliya Khan, British-Bangladeshi woman, who since from early age has had an eye for arts and fashion. For many years Aliya wasn’t able to pursue dreams of either of this passion, as coming from a cultural background in which the arts are not taken seriously as a viable career, or even recognised as a worthwhile pursuit.

Aliya’s determination and zeal drove her to not only to train herself, but to pursue an artistic vocation with little support. During the last ten years, Aliya has accomplished this through her large canvass oil paintings of various detailed images of women within the contents of her roots an understanding of “what woman want” which have been showcased at several exhibitions.

Through these innovative creations, Aliya is able to portray more accurate imagery of her experience and influences while growing up as a British Asian, living in the heart of East London, struggling with identity and acceptance within different communities and at the same time, express who she is.

The passion behind and the inspirations for Aliya's paintings also come from other avenues, a romantic ballad or an expressive poem for instance. Aliya visualize the words, drinks in their essence and then interpret them into a tapestry of colours and images, while envisioning an entirely new story based on the intense emotions they evoke.

Being an artist allows Aliya to release her ideas and express her individuality and creativity without boundaries.

Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT DOES THE MOON SYMBOLISE IN YOUR PAINTINGS?

HOW DO YOU INTERPRET “ART”

“Art” allows me to capture visionary, faded memories, fear, hope, acceptance, dreams and spiritually draws me closer to my soul’s response.

I don't expect anyone to look at my work and try to interpret what I was feeling at the time I created it as everyone has their own view and interpretation.

People are “individuals” and so are “feeling”; I believe “art” should be too. “Art” is what “individuals” make of it, for me it's a freedom of expression, a response from me, to the eyes of the beholder.

WHAT DO THE “WOMEN” IN YOUR PAINTING REPRESENT?

The paintings of women featured in my artwork are my understanding of “what women want,” the essence of marriage, women hood, beauty and values of roots within the context of their own choice.

The paintings demonstrate my pride of being a British, Bengali and Muslim woman. I am not afraid to express my individuality and challenge boundaries regardless of what cultural and religious teaching may interpret as an ideal representation of a women in a mans written world.

As a woman, I relate to the “Female Form” skin deep. For me, painting women goes deeper than their outer beauty. A women’s inner beauty is often burdened with pain, yet a women carries her self gracefully like a lotus, refusing to drown.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO PAINT WOMEN?

WHAT DO THE ANIMAL IN YOUR PAINTINGS REPRESENT?

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO COMPLETE A PAINTING?

I use animals and birds to personify various human characteristics. The Bengal tigers in my work represent strength, beauty, pride and courage. The birds represent freedom.

The “Moon”, it’s a rare pearl in the sky, one of a kind, hard to reach. Its beauty is often addressed as a female form; due to its monthly cycle. It has many faces, each one illuminates, creating mood wherever it sets gaze.

The “Moon” in my paintings symbolises beauty, purity, loneliness, sadness, love, lust and desire, which women conceal within their inner beauty.

DO YOU USE MODELS FOR REFERANCE?

I work mainly with oil paint, which consists of thick creamy texture and depth than any other mediums. colours are also very important to me, it has many dimensions, it can be moody, dynamic, stubble, atmospheric and symbolic.

Colour relationship combined with the manipulation of oil, space, light and texture are the core foundation of my creative process.

WHICH ART MEDIUMS DO YOU USE?

It usually takes me 4 months to a year to complete a piece at a time, although I start on 3 to 4 canvases at a time. Some ideas arrive suddenly while others take weeks, months, and even years to connect and complete. Each canvas is painted several times if need be. These original paintings will only increase in value, but no cash value can be put on the authenticity of owning an original artwork.

Models are very essential to my work, as I require unusual figurative poses and often use female models in creative photo-shoots to establish composition of my subjects. I mostly initiate and create the whole concept; backdrop, make-up, photography and editing for my ideas start to end.

As a creative person, I always sketch my ideas or cut out images from magazine or paper. This allows me to preserve my ideas and also use it for future references.