Colour Gallery Lahore was all colours in the true sense, the day an exhibition of paintings by Ufaq Ehsan opened in the first week of March 2013.
‘Red-The Rebirth’ is her latest series of paintings that signify the connection between Mother Earth and how it affects us all.
A graduate in Fine Arts from National College of Arts, Lahore, 1996 with major Painting and minor Printmaking, Ehsan has been earning name in various fields related with art. Ufaq Ehsan is a talented young lady who is an exciting artist. She uses her talent for patients’ rehabilitation at various charitable institutes. Her paintings are spiritually inspired. Instead of using motifs as symbols, as is usual in art practice, Ehsan uses colours as symbols. The symbolic use of ‘color’ plays a very vital role in her work.
She received Honorary Shield from Ganga Ram Hospital for Voluntary Art Therapy Sessions; a Shield and Gold Medal in “Freedom Festival 94”; Honorary Shield: “All Pakistan Young Performer Festival” and Gold Medal in “Tree Plantation Festival.” Her works have been widely exhibited, especially, in Lahore. In year 2012 she participated in a Group Show, entitled “Art-Aviso Creativity Re-visited” at Hamail Art Gallery, Dubai where artworks by 66 artists from Pakistan were displayed. She was a participant in a Group Show of 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence, at Nomad Gallery, Islamabad.
Her work experience includes supervision of Instillations made by a group of NCA artist for National Women’s exhibition entitled “Women Escape” organized by ASR resource Center at Alhamra Art Council Lahore. She has worked as Art Therapist, Psychiatry Department Ganga Ram Hospital; Art Therapist American School of International Academics (ASIA); Art Therapist (Image Institute); Research In-charge “Slide Management Program” National College of Arts, Lahore and Honorary Art Consultant at Fountain House, Lahore.
Ehsan’s administrative experience is spread over managing Flora Festival, International Puppet Festival, Freedom Festival 94, Founder student Club (IMPACT) Important Act (NCA), Mural making at Hawa Craft Center, College Decoration at NCA Convocation 1994, All Pakistan Young Performers Festival and Tree Plantation Festival.
Ufaq Ehsan has been working as a volunteer at Social Work Projects which include Floral Panels Fountain House, Lahore, Panels: Ganga Ram Psychiatry Department, Executive Member FIND, Executive Member PEACE and Murals for Image Institute of Education.
Her other activities include Book Illustration “Aks-e Hayat”, Book Illustration “Annual Epilepsy Day”, Banners for Eid Celebrations, Thesis Topic “Scattered Dreams of Happiness” Instillations, Mask making for “Ajoka Theater” and Performance for college portfolio.
Artist Statement
Colors play a vital role on human psyche. My work is inspired by this wonderful world of colors and their healing powers. Sound, fragrances and people all around inspire the colors I choose and the imagery that prevails in my work. From the time that a single painting begins to the time I complete it, the personalities, auras and moods of people around me shape my work, which makes each painting unique.
Spirituality, I believe, is my most fundamental muse; therefore, it is no wonder that through symbolism, I choose to express my perception of all that I see. There is a sense of freedom while painting symbolically because it is a language that can be deciphered differently by everyone, hence it is my way of sharing a secret with everyone, which gives me the ability to feel connected with the spirits of people.