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IAAC Exhibition of Contemporary Indian Art of the Diaspora 2015

 
Mumtaz Hussain
Mumtaz Hussain
Mumtaz Hussain
 
ARTIST STATEMENT
Strangely, even as a canvas artist, I have never thought ‘stills’. I could never capture a moment as an immovable element in time, without an evolving context. I have always believed that whatever my work, it stemmed from the moving image. Whether it is an attempt at expressing my artistic world view through calligraphy or another visual, it has always been motivated by a stream of images, of which one ‘stills’ the essence of the expressive moment as I reproduce it on canvas or three dimension.

Essentially, the graduation from painting to film and sculpture has just been a logical and progressive extension of my work. I think I matured into film, just as a walk matures into the ability to run. My training as an artist has served my endeavor as a filmmaker immensely – it has offered me the scope to unravel the various elements of a single frame into the many and third dimension that comprise it. The captured moment, so to speak, on canvas, now finds a moving context as well as real progression in film and sculpture; just the opposite of what I did on canvas. I, now, ‘unfreeze’ the moment and allow it to breathe as a moving image. That is why symbolism remains an intrinsic and sub-textual motif in my film work.


 
BIO
Mumtaz Hussain is an artist, film maker and a writer. In 1981, Mumtaz accepted admission into the prestigious National College of Arts (NCA) in Lahore, Pakistan. While at NCA, Mumtaz decorated the palace of Sheikh Zaid bin Sultan, an architectural landmark in Karachi, Pakistan. In 1987, Mumtaz left for London to study European art forms. In 1988 Mumtaz came to New York to pursue graphic design at the School of Visual Art. Additionally, Mumtaz also studied film making. He has also served as an art director for Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Simon & Schuster. Mumtaz directed 13 episodes of an informative talk show for channel 9 "Ask a Lawyer." His Urdu book of short stories, “GOOL AINAK KA PECHAY”, is published.

His art film, “Soul of Civilization" has been shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Queens Museum of Art and Stony Brook University New York. Wisconsin State University Madison, University of Connecticut, He has completed five additional films, “This is my Pakistan” for a Pakistani TV Channel GEO; “Inside You”, based on Rumi's poetry, Push Button for", based on a Pakistani classic short story and "Butterfly Screams.” “Art=(Love) 2” is his first Feature film. The feature film, “art= (love) 2” will be ready for theatrical release soon. This film received an award of merit at The Lucerne International Film Festival, Switzerland; best cinematography award at The Jaipur International Film Festival, India; Platinum Reel Award at The Nevada Film Festival, U.S.A.; Gold Award at the Prestige Film Festival, U.S.A.. The film was also officially selected at The Delhi International Film Festival, India; and The Vegas Cine Fest, U.S.A..His script "The Kind Executioner" received finalist award at Hollywood Screenplay Contest Hollywood

His paintings and films have been shown at numerous museums, universities, art galleries and international film Festivals.
   
 
 
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