ISLAMABAD, Sept 24: Erum Ashfaq’s fifth solo show opened at the Jharoka Art Gallery on Tuesday, titled ‘Expressions of Feelings’.

With 26 works on display, the collection was an interesting mix of depictions of old buildings and monuments and some landscapes.

Jharoka’s Director Nahida Raza says, “Erum is a Lahore-based artist who typically paints our architectural heritage and I feel we must all do our part in preserving this. Any artist who does a rendition of a heritage site gives it a new lease on life, for in 20 years the monument may have crumbled but the memory will live in the painting.”

While Erum has no formal training in art, something that is apparent in her choice of brasher colours, her work is, however, not without merit.

She is an intuitive artist who started drawing and painting at a very early age who by her own reckoning was painting in oils at the age of 12.

Erum writes, “I inherited the art of colours, therefore I had no choice but to paint. Nature fascinated me much before I learned to spell or read. The changing seasons, the shades of sun at various times of the day and the dusky sky in monsoon rains made me think of colours. That’s how at the age of 7, I started writing short poems on splendour of nature. Poetry and colours are complementary.

“The expression of feelings can reversibly be expressed in both mediums. I painted, made pencil sketches, wrote poems and celebrated my small world of wonderland. My late mother had figured out my abilities right from the beginning. But I got the most unconventional support and confidence from Ashfaq, my husband, on the way of carving out my talent.”

Principal of School of International Law Nida Tareen says, “Erum’s paintings are a lovely way to document the heritage of Punjab and I find the fluidity of light and dark in the paintings interesting. As someone who has lived in different parts of Punjab I can recognise various styles of the architecture and that makes her paintings appealing.”

While the focus of viewers appears to be on the paintings of buildings, Erum’s natural talent shines through best in her depiction of trees and natural environments.

Her palette is decidedly more subtle and true to life while she is clearly finding joy in nature. The brushstrokes too, in the landscapes were smoother than those of the buildings.

For a young artist with no formal training, Erum’s work shows potential and her formal education in science – she has a BSc and MSc from the University of Engineering and Technology – may be one of the reasons she chooses buildings as her subject matter.

She states, “Our country has a great asset of heritage buildings that need to be preserved and documented” and her work in painting sites in small towns like Bhera, Chiniot, Kasur and Gujrat reflects her dedication to this cause.

Erum would be well advised to shift her focus to nature where her talent could truly shine!