Margins Magazine - Volume 4 Issue 4

VOL. IV | ISSUE IV
MARGINS
ARTIST SERIES #2.
by Tabassum Khan
@Tabassum Yusuf
Tabassum Khan is an artist based in India that primarily works with acrylic
ink on paper. In regards to her work, she draws inspiration from nature,
both the all-encompassing light and dark sides.
Usually, birds are seen as light and joyful beings of mellow temper, and
associated with a celebration of hope & the freedom of flight. Some pets
and other animals, even in their wild state, may serve to amuse. However,
in Khan’s art work, they acquire a somewhat different appearance and
significance. Their corporeal state is at times overloaded, burdensome,
broken and even tortured. She brings out the emotional intensity of these
themes using coarse, straw-like lines. Finally, she delves into the warp and
weft of their pain, fear, the occasional joy and more frequent blackness.
Viewers may be reminded of certain issues in our troubled times relating
to environment and violence. The red blotches at places represent corpuscles
strewn here and there. The wound-inflicting fangs and claws, and
prey erratically moving away, are reminiscent of the constant struggle for
survival. The pony’s wings are not yet fully articulated, but the pressure
bows it down. Various creatures and critters have been set adrift - with
pulsating, euphoric energy, yet a strange wave of stillness covers them. To
view these images offered in black and white, and in colours as well, is to
find oneself pausing and pondering over the fabric and patterns of existence
itself. To treat life in its multiple dimensions and aspects is always
a challenging task in the creative arts, yet Khan delivers.
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