Written by: Nayha Jehangir Khan
Posted on: February 09, 2021 | 
Still Life with Fruits & Budgies
As Islamabad welcomes back sunny afternoons, warm sunsets and fresh air after light February rains, it is clear that the season is changing. The city exhales the frigid air and leaves the Margalla hills brighter, ushering in the springtime. For a few years, Irfan Cheema has been exhibiting his still life paintings at Tanzara Gallery showcasing nostalgic and memorable visual journaling from his Shanghai-based studio. Irfan and his wife, Sabeen joined the opening reception for “From Ordinary to Extraordinary” via Instagram Live Stream on the Tanzara Gallery page, as they weren’t able to travel from China. Guests walked up to the live stream station to say a quick hello, ask questions and converse with the artist for the entire duration of the opening.
Irfan Cheema and his wife Sabeen Joining from Shanghai
Cheema has a romantic and affectionate relationship with his childhood in Pakistan. His paintings describe memories that he has experienced in the past that feel familiar and relatable, yet the hyper-realistic sculptural rendering of his subjects is surreal and cinematic. His annual solo show at the gallery is a delightful gathering of kindred souls who enjoy and appreciate the classical and traditional art form of still life painting. We had the chance to ask the artist questions about his work and preparation for the show during lockdown:
IC: I painted as a child. But discontinued it after I left Egypt in 2005, creating a gap of nine years, but I continued with water colour and sketching as a sort of a hobby. In 2013, I started reading books about art and artists, developing an interest in Dutch artists of the Golden Age. I was drawn to still life painting for its flawless rendering and transitions in classical tempora techniques that predated oil paint. The finesse was fascinating, and these artists had no limitations as they endlessly worked on a piece till it was perfect.
Still Life with Peonies & Cranes
Still life is often placed at the bottom of the hierarchy of representational art, yet that made it even more intriguing for me. As a painting technique, it was comparable to the finest portraiture work. In fact, some of it was far more multi-layered in terms of technique, meaning and symbolism. The pursuit of realism resonated with me, so I started to learn and understand it as an academic practice and as a painting expression. Initially my art practice was exploring light, spending time sketching, and creating studies to push the limitations of the medium. This was the foundation for building the right kind of temperament, and laying the groundwork to my first still life piece in 2014.
IC: I paint a selection of objects that have certain relevance and aesthetic rationales. These are my possessions that are incorporated into my still life compositions in different ways. For example, I have picked seashells from the beach or spent time buying antiques and ceramics. For those of us who collect objects, it's more important to have a memorable experience of searching through antique shops or thrift stores, as opposed to simply decorating the house with them. It is a keepsake with sentimental value. I imagine the history of an object, from its previous owners to being in my possession. I often ask sellers at antique shops if they have information about the object, and some are kind enough to create a story to satiate my curiosity.
Similarly, it is important for me to create a meaningful relationship with shawls, by reflecting on the weavers and the evolution of the textile industry. I also feel very fortunate to be settled in a part of the world where we have access to fruit trees and flowers all year round. Growing up in Lahore, I was lucky to be surrounded by fruit trees most of the season. During summer and winter holidays visiting my grandparents at their village, there was an abundance of guavas and oranges. These fruits have meaningful sensory experiences attached to them. If I picked a plum from somewhere in Northern Areas or Balakot, let's say 25 years ago, I remember it immediately as sour and aromatic. Additionally, there have always been birds in my life. Even as a child, I had several kinds growing up and I still enjoy bird watching.
Still Life with Oranges & Kashmir Shawl
While painting during the 2020 lockdown, I had a lot of time to look out of my window into the yard. Although I live in an urban jungle in Shanghai, our community have large camphor, plum and cherry trees, and I have fig trees and grapes in my yard. This year, I had time to render intricate details on my birds as you will observe in the two pieces with Oriental white-eyes. In my yard, the leaves are from my own raspberry and blueberry plants, and I tried to recreate scenes from the garden in a studio setting.
Still Life with Pheasant & Kashmir Shawl
IC: As far as a subject, the pheasant has been part of still life for over 500 years. In western painting tradition, it has a morbid presence and is usually hunted or butchered for a feast. However for me, it has always carried an elusive and supernatural significance. The first time I encountered a Ring-necked Pheasant was on a matchbox, with the name ‘Surkhab’ written in Urdu, meaning a Phoenix. The notion of the Pheasant as a Phoenix caught my mythological imagination, even though some simply regard it as glorified poultry. I found it to be beautiful with its extravagant plumes and sheen, it's just a lovely bird.
This year my focus is not only on the intricate patterns of the shawls, but also the elegance of the drapery. The flow and fluidity mix in with the light and highlights that are formed all along the edges. Now that I feel as though I have mastered these subjects, I feel like there is a greater depth to my observation. I am still fascinated with my subjects and don't see any urgent need to present them any differently. The challenge is to keep pushing my technical abilities and mastering the realism in still life.
The job of a still-life artist is to be able to build a relationship of mystery and intrigue for the viewer through illusions of colours and light. Cheema’s work builds a rich and vivid tapestry that showcases the objects and figures of childhood with pride and affection, which is what makes his annual art exhibition such a visual treat. Those interested in viewing the exhibition, can visit Tanzara Gallery till 18th February, but please adhere to the timings and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
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