EDUCATION:
Diploma in Fine Arts (Painting), Karachi School of Arts 1996 Karachi
B.Sc in Home Economics, Rana Liaquat Ali Home Economics Govt. College
TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
Institute of Arts & Craft, Teacher of Fine Art, 1999 Karachi
North City School of Art, Teacher of Fine Art, 1997 Karachi
EXHIBITION:
Solo Show
V.M. 2005 Karachi
Group Shows:
2006 - 15 Senior Artist Clifton, Karachi
2006 - 20 Pakistani Artits Show, Hong Kong
2006 - Auction for Earthquake victims by (Hunar Kada) Islamabad
2006 - 25 Senior Artist at Clifton Art Gallery, Karachi
2006 - Group show Pakistani Artist, Singapore
2004 - Islamic Center, London, UK
2004 - Unicorn Art Gallery, Karachi
2004 - Native Art Gallery, Lahore
2003 - Group show V.M. Art Gallery, Karachi
2000 - PNCA, Lahore
1997 - Group Show (Water Color) Central Institute of Arts & Craft, Karachi
1997 - Art & Craft, Karachi
1996 - Group Show PNCA, Islamabad
1996 - Shakir Ali Museum, Lahore
1996 - Sadequin Art Gallery, Karachi
The grammar of contemporary painting has been incorporated to evoke a formally modern image around the age-old Kufic script. Her work, after a cautious beginning visible in some group displays in the last few years, has now emerged in stronger, bolder format of calligraphed verses and painterly effects.
Predominance of vertical and horizontal strokes has given it the name of square or rectangular kufic. However, lighter mo dynamic and potentially decorative versions also developed with time and today artists have a variety of forms that they can access.
The ground of the canvas is developed before the commencement of her writing. She builds surface effects and texture with spray, dots, drip-technique of spreading paint and rough brushwork, Stray Arabic alphabets, arabesque patterns or geometric decorations are spread around as per the design imagery in her mind and her color palette of blues, oranges and ochers is used to establish contrast and build areas surrounding a lighter space.
Mussarat Arif has taken up on herself to take the art of calligraphy to new destinations.
She designs Kufic writing on her canvases because this traditional form of lettering contains all the best aspects of modern form. She has studied the subject vastly and differentiates various forms in Kufic writing. Her studies reveal that the firs calligraphic script of Islam was developed in 815 A.D., which was the outcome of deliberate aspiration.
The form finally succeeded and prevailed and took its name from Iraqi town Kufah. If a distinction is to be made between drawing and writing, the original Kufic is nearest to the drawing of all Arabic scripts. It strokes often, very elongated, give it momentum.
In the 3rd century of Islam, two remarkable Kufic scripts, one in the east and other in the north were developed. These scripts were later known as Al-Kufi, Al-Farsi (Persian Kufic) or Al-Kufi Al-Baghdadi (Baghdad Kufic) and Al-Kufi almaghrabi (Western Kufic). Both of them are lighter and more dynamic and potentially more decorative than the parent script, which is sometimes called ‘square kufic' or rectangular kufic.
Mussarat's work mostly reflects the composition of the western kufic calligraphy using mixed mediums. Majestry of Quranic verses, beauty of colors, glitter of gold leaf and splendor of Islamic motifs enrich her artwork to provide visual pleasure. Her artwork penetrates into the heart and soul of the believers.
