Written by: Muhammad Hamza
Posted on: March 03, 2025 | 
| 中文
Environmental Degradation III (Detail) by Sumaira Amin
This week’s episode of Numaishgah, Lahore, featured an intriguing lineup of three exceptional miniature artists, each bringing their unique approach to the art form. Their artworks adorned the walls, blooming with vibrant colours and soft textures. With delicate strokes, they depicted figures from northern Pakistan, eerie yet captivating patterns, and surreal landscapes. These artists have brought their distinct techniques to the fore, highlighting how miniature art serves as a profound medium for storytelling and cultural expression.
A folk storyteller through his distinctive miniature style, Sajjad Roy’s paintings centre around the homeland of his birthplace, Hunza. His series of artworks poetically interpret historical narratives, visually translating tales that resonate deeply with his personal journeys and heritage.
Shamanism is one of the most revered spiritual paths, transcending religious doctrine. Rooted in ancient rituals, it seeks to cleanse the soul, empowering the spirit through self-discovery and transformation. In this artwork, Sajjad visually represents the various stages of this journey, illustrating the human quest for enlightenment. The meticulous details guide the viewer from left to right, symbolizing the evolution of the self, culminating in a metaphorical rebirth of the soul.
The Shamanic Sacred Path by Sajjad Roy
The shamanic dance is a sacred ritual undertaken during the spiritual journey, a passage of trials and tribulations meant to purify and heal. Sajjad translates this deeply immersive experience into a striking visual form, using warm hues of opaque watercolours. The composition invites viewers into a moment of peace, mirroring the essence of the ritual itself.
The Poetic Movements of Shaman (Detail) by Sajjad Roy
A storyteller and visualizer, Subtain Hassan Ghazi creates miniature paintings that embody an eternal, poetic dialogue between nature and its creatures. His artworks explore the themes of life, decay and rebirth, depicting characters engaged in a trans-universal journey where identity remains intact despite transformation. His figures evoke movement and silent conversations, as seen in the following pieces.
Empathetic Viceory by Subtain Hassan Ghazi
This piece speaks volumes through its composition, where figures face opposite directions, creating a visual tension that hints at longing, separation and growth. The scene captures the fragility of existence, some are lost, while others rise from adversity, bound by an unseen force. The artist refers to this work as Mother’s Lap, where everything remains interconnected yet unable to break free, as it is the sole source of survival.
Evergreen Beneficiaries by Subtain Hassan Ghazi
An award-winning miniature artist, Sumaira Amin shifts focus toward urgent issues of climate change and cultural preservation. Through her work, she contrasts the value of environmental justice with the stark reality of exploitation, emphasizing the irreversible damage inflicted on our natural world.
The ones responsible for destruction lurk in the shadows, seeking new ways to exploit resources for their own gain. The evident loss of our planet translates into a spiritual erosion, our collective consciousness is fading, and empathy for our fellow beings is disappearing. The following pieces highlight this alarming crisis.
This artwork starkly depicts the devastation of our surroundings: polluted habitats, dying forests and the imminent erasure of entire ecosystems. The ruined landscapes serve as a grim reminder of humanity’s reckless disregard for nature. With murky, rustic hues, the painting appears aged and worn, symbolizing the slow but inevitable erosion of the environment. The fragmented composition brings different elements of destruction into focus, forcing viewers to confront the irreversible damage being done to our world.
Environmental Degradation II by Sumaira Amin
Sumaira’s work is a powerful indictment of those complicit in environmental destruction. Her compositions highlight the shameful inaction of officials who enable this crisis. It is a man-made catastrophe—humans have become both the destroyers and the survivors, grappling with the consequences of their own actions.
This exhibition served as a necessary reality check. Each artist brought forth a unique yet urgent perspective, shedding light on cultural narratives, spiritual journeys, and environmental crises. Sometimes, we need to see the world reflected through art to truly grasp the depth of what is unravelling around us. At this point, things are spiralling out of control, as we are mere bystanders to destruction, masking the truth behind illusions of goodness that no longer exist.
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