From the series Amateur artists: From a soldier to an artist, Waseem Qaiser (post_97_english), Waseem Qaiser, Pakistan,sztuka pakistańska, malarstwo

I have been always fascinated with the beginnings of the artistic careers of artists. Their inspirations, need to convey their individual perception of the world and reality on canvas or paper.  I used to paint in my childhood, and in my early youth. I even had several successes in visual art competitions. My watercolour painting entitled ‘Theme park’ was presented at an exhibition in Zachęta Museum in Warsaw. But I finally decided that I am not talented and I left painting to other people...

However, my love to art remained. Love not only to this great one, written with the capital A, that is admired in museums and at exhibitions, but also to the non-professional and naïve art. I really like the term art of the deep heart that derives from the natural internal need of man. And this area of art belongs to the sphere of my interest.

This is why I have also been thinking about writing on artists whose works are not presented in museums (yet), but who are known among the groups of families, friends or are presented on various social media profiles.  

I hereby commence the new series of posts which I entitled ‘Amateur artists,’ in which I would like to describe the art that is generally unknown but worth, in my point of view, becoming acquainted with.

The hero of today’s post is Waseem Qaiser, amateur artist living and working in Pakistan.

I have been observing his works for a year after becoming fascinated with one of his paintings.    But I will refer to that painting in the end.

Spitefully, I am going to start with one of his latest works presenting a female dancer. I had an opportunity to observe the birth of a painting, which was a nice experience for me and which I participated in. Below, one of the stages of the creation of a painting in which Waseem Qaiser concentrates on the figure of a delicate woman during dancing, is presented.  From the very beginning, the wonderful colour scheme in emerald tone as well as warm green turquoise colours are brought to the forefront. We can feel the motion, energy and the blowing wind. The dancer is preparing for the next step. She freezes for a moment while dancing. 

A magnificent background composed of great tones sets the heroine in another, unreal oceanic space, which is full of dynamism and motion.  Maybe in a moment our ballerina will continue to dance, immersed in her experiences and thoughts. We are waiting until warm wind and drops of a moist air touch our face.

Waseem Qaiser draws his ideas form the environment, but primarily from other painters, who inspire him, which is natural and characteristic for each and every artist.  Obviously, he processes his fascinations through his individual approach, personality and a way of perceiving a world.

Let’s take a look at the artist profile.

Waseem Qaiser, born in 1966. The fate directed him to serve in military service for twenty best years of his life. Military service enriches him with experiences of real life and problems of human existence. But the origins associated with his artistic family, in which his father, Rahim Gul, was a renowned writer, literary critic and film producer, start to unveil at the mature age of an artist. Partly due to natural contrariness, Waseem Qaiser finds out that he can paint. Moreover, it makes him feel happy and gives him a sense of satisfaction. The approval of his nearest environment gives him confidence. This is how Qaiser commences his adventure with art that becomes an important and significant part of his life. Sensitivity, and insight 

in the observation of the external world is reflected in his paintings.  

Now it is time for the gallery of Waseem Qaiser’s paintings.

His artistic interests are closed in several spheres. The first one is nature, natural world and environment. Strong characteristic and almost shouting tone strikes the observer but hot, severe sun of Pakistan sharpens the colour scale.  This cannot look differently.  The intensity of red gives energy and vitality to the paintings and introduces motion, so characteristic for the artist.

At the same time, Waseem Qaiser introduces an interesting technique of air perspective so as to present detail, capture the beauty of the foreground. I would call this painting technique a painting photography. He also uses it in paintings of his children that are presented in the following part of the post.

One can see the attachment of the painter to realism and to details, which has their grounds in the character of the artist. In the apparently calm landscape of Pakistani nature, it is possible to feel the hidden vibrancy of the world of nature.

The artist tries to face the topic of urban architecture. He is able to perfectly and faithfully reproduce the facade of building. A sharp blaze of sun reflecting off the heated walls makes us squint our eyes involuntarily. It is the sun of Pakistan. As a citizen of a cold country, longing for warmth, I warm myself in the heat of this painting.

Two following paintings presented below are children portraits. The tone here is soft, hazy and light and gives the priority to the personality of the presented figures of daughter and son. It is possible to notice the attachment of the painter to the natural world of his homeland. It seems to indicate that man and nature are connected vessels, areas that permeate each other. 

Below, the painter’s attempt to take up a new theme is presented. This painting belongs to the series of geometric abstraction.

Waseem Qaiser experiments. He looks for his style, his own artistic perception.

I am thinking over black, used by the artist so rarely.

A very interesting and intriguing area of interests of Waseem Qaiser are works of Vincent van Gogh. Qaiser feels the atmosphere of the paintings of the Dutch artist perfectly. He copies it in an excellent manner, but he also passes it through his personality. When you look carefully at the original and the concept of Waseem, you will definitely spot many differences. First and foremost in the introduction of motion and energy as well as in the approach towards details. Waseem Qaiser is able to intensify the light dynamics exquisitely. And this is what I really like. I love everything that is dynamic and full of energy.

This is why when I was in Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, I simultaneously thought about Waseem Qaiser and his fascinations.  This museum is cut out for him. I hope that despite great distance the fate will enable him to have a direct contact with van Gogh’s works as well as will inspire him with new, excellent artistic ideas.

The next area of interest of the artist are interiors. This is a theme cut out for him that he finely performs. Qaiser feels the atmosphere of rooms without humans superbly. He freezes time and the moment. He forces us to concentrate and activate our imagination. He introduces motion in our emotions. I wonder, who will change the water in the vase with the lonely rose? Who has left the things on the beautiful green coach? Did the invisible character exit to the terrace illuminated by sun and will they come back in a minute? Or maybe the character will never sit there and will not read a book in this charming corner of the apartment? There are many questions and ideas arising.

These are exquisite paintings, also technically.

The interior with the green couch enchanted me a year ago and this is when I pay my attention to the artist of this painting. Perfect sense of colour, establishment of an atmosphere of anticipation, slight uncertainty perhaps. I would hang this canvas on the wall in my room without any hesitation whatsoever.

Waseem Qaiser - amateur artist He does not paint for money, he does not want to limit his artistic freedom. He still has too little time for creating art, which is a source of my personal regret. He can not devote himself to this passion entirely. Genuine reality does not allow him to give himself up to art completely. It is good to take a look at the paintings that derive from his heart and sensitivity of a perceptive observer of the surrounding environment.

It is worth looking at the world through the eyes of Waseem Qaiser. Wonderful and beautiful colour scheme, exceptional depth and attachment to details as well as dynamics and motion – these are characteristic features that define our artist. He is still at the stage of searching for his artistic path and his own style, but I think that he will find what he decided to seek for in the nearest future. 

I cheer him on. How about you?

Major Waseem Qaiser ( Retired )
Deputy Director w: Airport Security Force

Lives in Karachi.