The art of camouflage is a subtle dance, a delicate balance between revealing and concealing. As an artist who belongs to a minority community and hails from Kashmir– a region torn between India and Pakistan– I find myself constrained by societal limitations and oppressive laws that are waiting to devour those who dare to challenge them. The necessity to navigate these limitations compels me to communicate without speaking directly, to tell my stories without telling them explicitly.
In my art practice, to engage in camouflage is a conscious and a subconscious decision. Subconscious because the moment you’re born in a war torn region, you grow as a person who tries to conceal yourself. Conscious because at the same time as concealing yourself, as an artist, you are suggesting ideas in art, telling them without showing, and showing them without telling. In one of my photographs, for instance, I hide the subject’s face while the folds of a shawl wrapped around her suggest her background and her experiences.This allows her story to transcend the boundaries of the individual, and resonate with others who identify with her on a cultural, political, and religious level. Being unseen is thus a necessary vehicle for me to impart my message.
I also often present distorted self-portraits, and disjointed images in the form of dismembered body parts. These serve as visual manifestations of the deformities operating within a world consumed by conflict. Their disjointed-ness reflects the incoherence of my thoughts, where ideas collide, intersect, diverge, and sometimes flow in a stream of consciousness. Through these representations, I implore viewers to acknowledge the scars, imperfections, and collective deformities borne from the harsh realities of our times.
Camouflage, the art of revealing without showing, has become my creative manifesto. It empowers me to transcend the limitations imposed upon me as an artist hailing from a conflict-ridden environment. By skillfully concealing certain elements and unveiling others, I bypass retribution or consequences while also showing the horrors of a place and time. I endeavor to create a visual language that speaks directly to the souls of viewers. I strive to break down barriers, challenge preconceptions, and inspire empathy and understanding through my artwork.
As an artist, my ultimate goal is to bridge the divide between the seen and the unseen, to invite others into my world of hidden narratives and juxtaposed realities. Through the intricate dance of camouflage, I aim to provoke thought, stimulate dialogue, and ultimately leave an indelible mark on the canvas of our collective consciousness.
