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This work is a depiction of a simple act of, three characters entering a space, doing something and interacting with each other, then finally leaving that space as it was before their presence. Other elements present in this video remain constant, before the intervention of those characters and even after them. Same as life itself.

A Moment
In this video, an experience is shown. There are two characters, who are just looking and feeling the water. No one knows their story or what exactly they are searching for in this scene. Meanwhile, another character passing from there making it’s own path in that space, stops for a while and try to be a part of that experience and feel what the other characters were feeling. But for some reason, moves forward. Which what ‘we’ also do, move forward sometimes for good and some times out of compulsion. Every character in this video makes its own choice.

Make one's way
As Walt Disney says: “If you can dream it, you can do it.” Everyone has a dream or a goal to accomplish, but in order to achieve it, one has to go through and face different kinds of hurdles and obstacles. The character of bubble in this animation is trying to reach from one point to another but on the way, faces many difficulties. In spite of that the character is not stopping. It is still moving forward, making its own way and overcoming all the obstacles and finally reaches its destination.

Flow
In this work, the slow movement of water is presented. This very little detail is present around us but we ignore it and move forward with daily busy life. The flow created in this work symbolizes both the very nature of moving forward, that is present in both humans and water itself. On the other hand, it also shows the calmness and peace, that is one of the characteristics of water. That peace and calmness we are leaving behind because of our modern day busy life. We don’t set back and enjoy the tranquility of life around us, that is present in these small acts of nature.

Net//Work Exhibition: Wajeeha Batool

Moving Nature

Nature is present all around us and deep with in us. I am interested in how nature through its small acts, which are constantly happening around us all the time are kind of reflection of ‘us’. For example, a blow of wind is carrying a leaf with it from one destination to another. Which for me is a representation of ‘us’ human beings, who are also just like that leaf moving in a flow, and experiencing different moments that come in their way. My work deals with the relationship between digital language and the forms and patterns in nature that surround us and are part of our daily observations. I use the language of pixels in my work and create organic and natural scenes, using those rigid and calculated structure. By combining these two extreme ideas: digital language of pixels and observations from nature, I want to create an appreciation of small observations of nature that we often ignore. I try to capture the little details present around us in nature and depict them in my own way that is very crisp but poetic. Earlier inspiration for my work comes from fairy tales, movies and video games that are a major part of our childhood memories.

My artworks for the Net//Work Residency project deal with the relationship of “Us” humans with the natural world, as we perceive it and interact with it. The present world has become increasingly disconnected from nature. Through my artwork, I am trying to narrate a story, of everyday human emotions, with the use of elements present in nature, that we ignore.

I create my compositions, as I understand and my art is an expression of concept of ‘nature’. When I choose my compositions I sacrifice details in order to improve the overall effect of story that I am trying to convey. The elements of nature in my work represents different characters, for example in this series “Bubble” is the main character of my animations. Bubbles in the videos, in a way are “US” or can be any character that we interact with at some point of our ‘life’.

About Wajeeha Batool

Wajeeha Batool is an artist based in Lahore, Pakistan. Wajeeha earned her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Visual Arts at the Beacon House National University (BNU) where she was subsequently a teacher. Wajeeha investigates the relationship between fantasy and reality, drawing on her experience to layer and create systematic chaos in her work. Her use of both organic forms and pixelated shapes serve as reference to living organisms as well as the world of technology. These patterns work together in harmony, often superimposed upon the other, to create a reverie of unpredictable movement and transparent effects. Wajeeha’s artwork has been shown in exhibitions in Alhamrah Art Gallery, Lahore, Karachi Art Summit, Sanat Initiative Art Gallery Karachi: Reading Between the Lines, Taseer Gallery, Lahore: Domestic Bliss and Antidote Gallery Dubai. She also won a second place award for Arts Contest from Shaukat Khanum Hospital, Title: Smoking Kills.

About the Net//Work Residency

The Net//Work Residency took place 25 October - 19 November 2021, in partnership with British Council and DAS Belfast. Wysing Arts Centre hosted artists Laura Andreato, Halik Azeez, Wajeeha Batool, and Wendy Teo during this four week online residency, with Anna Bunting-Branch as artist mentor.

Net//Work offered time for reflection, research, practice, skills exchange, and professional networking opportunities focused on digital artistic practices and technologies. The autumn's residency artists were internationally based across Brazil, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The residency consisted of online mentoring, group conversations, problem solving surgeries, guest talks and workshops with external curators and artists and 1-2-1 tuition.

To find out more about the Net//Work Residency, click here.

In partnership with British Council and DAS Belfast


British Council Logo reading 'In Partnership with British Council

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