Their combined exhibition is titled It’s a Way of Life, inspired by the world around us, but that’s where the similarities end. There is a clear distinction in the art by Fawad Tamkanat and Afza Tamkanat, a father-daughter duo.
“Though she has been seeing my work since childhood, nothing has influenced her; she has a distinct style and individuality, both in terms of subject and medium. Usually, when you paint together or in close proximity, certain elements walk into each other’s canvases,” says Hyderabad-based Fawad, talking about his daughter Afza’s work.
Work by artist Fawad Tamkanat | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
However, apart from being animal lovers involved with NGOs for charitable causes, “Where work is concerned we are totally different,” adds Fawad, the happy pride in his daughter’s healthy independence, is quite apparent.
Discussing his series titled Street Life which is currently on display, Fawad says he keeps changing his subjects with an interval of 5-10 years. “Earlier I used to capture rickshaw pullers and taxis, the commotion at airports and scenes from everyday life. At that time my works were more or less figurative. Now, I’ve moved on to more simple depictions of forms — from a distance, you can discern a few recognisable elements, otherwise at a glance they may look abstract.”
Artists Fawad and Afza Tamkanat | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“Out on the streets, roadside images are reflected onto window displays and glass panes. Those images get juxtaposed and the pane itself becomes a canvas. I’ve tried to capture the essence of those forms in a minimalistic manner. I’m not trying to convey a social or political message – my work is purely aesthetic,” says the Hyderabad-based artist who has used acrylic on canvas and linen, for this series.
Afza, who doesn’t believe in titling her work, expresses a similar sentiment. “My work is not difficult to understand and I’ve left them untitled on purpose as I want viewers interacting with it to come up with their own story,” she says.
“Most of my work is a pictorial diary of my life; mundane things that hold a lot of importance. The lockdown made a lot of people realise that we should hit the pause button and appreciate the smaller things.”
Work by artist Afza Tamkanat | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Sparrows are a recurring figure in her work that conjures up nostalgic vistas. “As a child, I was quite attached to sparrows and grew up watching my grandmother feed them in her courtyard and we did our best to provide for street animals and strays abandoned during the lockdown,” says Hyderabad-born Afza, who continues to put out water bowls for her feathered friends in Sydney, where she currently resides.
Afza uses water colours and coffee on canvas and paper.
Both father and daughter have had multiple shows abroad and Fawad says a lot of his work is inspired by his travelling experiences. “Wherever I travel, I visit small towns and sketch their old architecture. Later, I combine everything I have seen to create my own cityscape. Since it’s a flavour of every place I’ve been to, it is easier for people to relate to my work, whether they live in India or Europe,” he says.
Work by artist Afza Tamkanat | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Also on display are a few canvases from Fawad’s Human Face series — the acrylic on wood depictions focussing on accessories such as jewellery, flowers and plaits have a two-dimensional effect.
It’s a Way of Life by Fawad and Afza Tamkanat is on display till December 10 at Time and Space Gallery, Bengaluru.
