Contemporary artists are appropriating, deconstructing and reinventing the Indo-Persian miniature in several ways. In this context, an installation created for the Toronto Pearson Airport by miniature painter Tazeen Qayum is among the most recent manifestations of the genre’s reincarnation.

Qayyum received her BFA in visual arts from the National College of Arts, Lahore, in 1996. Her work has been shown internationally in solo and group exhibitions like ‘Urban Myths and Modern Fables’, University of Sydney, Australia and The University of Toronto Scarborough, ‘A Thousand and One Days: The Art of Pakistani Women Miniaturists’ at the Academy of Art, Honolulu, Hawaii, ‘JAALA (Japan, Asian, African and Latin American Artists Association) Exhibition’ at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum, Japan, ‘Negotiating Borders’ Miniature Paintings at Kathmandu, Nepal, ‘Homecoming’, at the National Gallery of Pakistan and ‘Code Live Metro’ at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Here she talks about her art practice and related concerns.

What is the significance of ‘cockroaches’ in your art practice?

In today’s war driven environment the value of a human life has been reduced to that of an insects — the cockroach motif, which crept into my work in 2002, is a metaphor that critiques this perception. It represents the death and destruction bought upon us. Cockroaches are universally considered gross and repulsive, but I paint them intricately thus it brings together an interesting contrast of beauty and the undesirability.

In many works I mimic entomology museum displays, to comment on how archiving practices parallel political propaganda. It also stands in for the ‘Others’ who are different and upon whom judgment is imposed for their difference. In many of my works I take pleasure in addressing serious subjects with a layer of subtle humour.

Briefly describe the Pearson Airport project and the conceptual content of the art in question?

I was invited by the Pearson Airports curator, Lee Petrie, to showcase some of my existing work at the Airport, but given the venue and the opportunity I proposed to create a completely new, site-specific piece. I wanted to create works that would express the emotional experience, fears and the anticipation associated with travel and airport.

The term ‘Holding Pattern’ in flight lingo is the course flown by aircraft awaiting clearance to land. It is a state of waiting, thus suggests a place in between, where we place our trust in others. The installation consists of 1,800, individually cut and painted cockroaches in acrylic placed on the wall and floor, creating a large patterned screen resembling a ‘Jali’ that is often seen in Islamic architecture.

On this sits an intricately painted seat, which is already from the airport environment, which takes on a new life when incorporated within the piece. The little time innumerable people spend waiting for the flight in one such chair, is filled with thoughts of what holds next, either the journey itself or the destination. Also exhibited are two stop-motion animation videos.

How does the miniature discipline continue to inform your art practice considering you are now a contemporary, multidisciplinary artist based in Toronto?

The miniature painting training and discipline has its influence on my work in different ways. It affects how I approach a new idea regardless of medium. In some works I revert to its vocabulary, in others it is the technique itself but most of all I exercise the utmost patience, repetition in mark making and the organised discipline of mind and body. I also feel that there is a huge margin of experimenting within this genre and possibilities that are yet not explored.

As an artist why it is important for you to stay connected with your country of origin?

I believe that although my expressions, mediums and narrative evolved with my move to Canada, my work has always been seen in reference to Pakistan which is important to me as well. The way one sees and experiences life is always conditioned by where they were raised and with what values. I also feel that the audiences and the art community in Pakistan would naturally have a more in-depth understanding of where my work and expression stems from. At the same time, my learning and experiences here might be an inspiration for younger artists back home; therefore I make every effort to exhibit and stay connected.