Srinagar, Apr 14: Cutting down on the screen timing and engaging in his creative pursuits proved remarkably engaging for a Srinagar-based radiation oncologist and passionate painter, DrJehangirAslam, who depicted different shades of his creative side during an exhibition here.
The exhibition was held at Government Arts Emporium, Srinagar where visitors, locals and people from outside states also visited.
“I must say that emotions penetrate every aspect of our lives. Interwoven with memory, attention, cognition, and decision-making, they determine our interpersonal relations, our private life, the public sphere, and religious worship,” DrJehangirAslam, told Greater Kashmir while introducing this reporter to a variety of artworks.
“I would really love to paint portraits. Then a few of my friends and well-wishers suggested that I should also have variety and depth in my paintings. I got in touch with one of my mentors and he advised me to explore the landscape area of the paintings. So, I started and loved doing it,” he says, adding “In landscape, an artist gets a lot of time to explore and experiment. I love to document and paint the intricate details.”
From serene villages to sea shores, DrJehangirAslam’s landscapes don’t have much human intervention. This, he says, helps him to keep away and find solace for himself and give vent to his inner feelings and emotions.
“Emotions are paramount to any artistic work. Emotions are the background of every form of art and literature. In my art, I have always loved to play with water and express my emotions in a similar way,” he says. “I paint and I do it after duty hours. I have a very limited social circle and I don’t use social media. My screen time is quite limited. Thankfully that gives me a chance to explore myself and also, I am able to take ahead my hobby with utmost precision.”
DrJehangir, who is posted as a radiation oncologist at JLNM Hospital, Srinagar, gives credit to his colleagues and friends. He says that one of his colleagues advised him to put his work on Instagram. “When my colleagues found out that I don’t use social media. They selected my works, created an account and started outing my works online,” he says. “In this journey, I have learnt that artists create art that conveys to us how we think and feel about things around us. We keep using various lines, shapes, and colours to express our feelings.”
While every artist chooses their own colours, lines and shapes that are meaningful for them, DrJehangir’s works are more about expressionism and have colourful life schemes. A visitor at the exhibition, Ruqsar, while commenting on the works of the artist says that his works were eye-catching.
“What caught my attention was the universality of the emotions that his paintings capture,” she says. Another visitor, Fatima, at the exhibition, says, “I don’t know the artist. But I have tried to see him through his artwork. He is like me. I am like him. Humans after all. That is the connection one feels when one looks into his art. He isn’t just a doctor, he tries to connect and converse through his art. The creativity flows through his pieces of art.”
The exhibition was organised by the Directorate of Handicrafts and Handlooms, Kashmir. DrJehangir lauded the role of the department and its director, Mahmood Ahmad Shah for his immense support and help. He gives credit for his successful creative journey to his family, especially his wife. “This is my first art exhibition. I am already overwhelmed with the response.”