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An unusual blend of Arabic and Indian traditions

Madhur Tankha

SYMBOLIC EXPRESSIONS: A painting by Mazher Nizar

NEW DELHI: He creates artistic impressions that are an amalgam of Indian culture and Arabic visual traditions. India-born Yemeni artist Mazher Nizar's works are basically nuances of symbolic expressions and romantic influences. Now Mazher's first solo exhibition in India titled "Queen of Sheeba" is all set to open at Visual Arts Gallery of India Habitat Centre here on November 6. The five-day exhibition will include over 25 large paintings in acrylics on canvas and watercolours.

Born in Mumbai in a Yemeni family, Mazher's upcoming exhibition showcases queens as spiritual women.

The discerning art lovers can find not just Yemeni motifs and fragments but also themes from a historical point of view and Arabic writings. The artist's lines and figures, however, have been done in a purely traditional Indian style.

The title of the show draws inspiration from the ancient Yemeni history when the "Queen of Sheeba" reigned over Yemen. His paintings move from the Queen's persona to an expression about women in general. The paintings interchange between the different worlds of magic, romance and faith.

As Mazher transfers his creations from reality to apparition-like figures where he merges history with myths and philosophy, we find in his paintings women with wings or birds with human heads and other creatures that remind us of Indian culture and traditional Yemeni art.

Mazher graduated in Graphic Arts from the Government College of Art and Craft in Kolkata. Since 1986, Mazher has been living and working in Sana'a in Yemen.

Besides participating in many national and international art exhibitions, Mazher has received critical acclaim for his unique way of painting. His paintings seem to be an illusion created out of historical legends in bold colours and techniques that make them very pleasing and enjoyable.

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