by A Journey Into ‘Finding Flow’
Sarim Kidwai, a well-known artist who usually uses a ballpoint pen to create vivid drawings, has held his solo show, “Finding Flow.” Sarim’s presentation captivated viewers with its engaging compositions, sumptuous textures, and deft use of ballpoint pen medium, transporting them into a realm of powerful visual storytelling, intimate emotions, and personal stories. We go into Sarim’s creative process in this exclusive interview, delving into his sources of inspiration, his artistic expression, and his unusual use of ballpoint pens for his highly regarded exhibition. Come along as we explore Sarim Kidwai’s creative vision to its fullest.
Dear, Sarim, the chance to interview you is really appreciated. Many thanks.
“Hello Usman, thank you very much for your interest in my work and the time you’ve taken to appreciate and understand it.“
What would you say about your style as an artist?
“Well as far as my last series goes, it’s a hyper-detailed style that incorporates some surreal visual elements, and it’s presented somewhat minimally. I wouldn’t say there’s one particular style that I’ve identified with, I understood the sentiment I was trying to convey, and I felt this particular style was appropriate for it. The next body of work I put out may stem from a similar stylistic approach, or it could be something different entirely, who knows?“
Sarim I must confess that your compositions are known for transporting viewers into a realm of personal histories and intense emotions. How do you approach the storytelling aspect of your art, and what do you hope audiences take away from the narratives within your drawings?
“So I’m grateful to have been exposed to professional storytelling very early on – I worked on Pakistan’s first 2D animated film, “The Glassworker”, directed by Usman Riaz. The film was created by Mano Animation Studios and I started working there at the age of 17 – it was here that I started thinking about how human beings are inherently narrative-driven creatures, and stories are constructs that are embedded firmly in our DNA. I think different art mediums approach storytelling in their unique way, and a fine art series has just as much an opportunity to tell a meaningful story as an animated film does. The ‘story’ that I’m trying to convey in ‘Finding Flow’ is a progression from a stale state of being to one that is livelier and more attuned to the present moment. The reason I haven’t put any captions or explanations next to the work is to leave it just open-ended enough for observers to insert their own experiences into the narrative structure I’ve laid out – so it’s not just my story, it’s meant to bring out yours as well.“
What served as the collection of pieces in your solo exhibit’s inspiration or driving force?
“The keyword for this series is “Inertia” – in simple terms, it is defined as the tendency to stay the same, or you can call it a resistance to change. Inertia can creep into our behavior, speech, body language, relationships, professional life – any strata of our lives. A body experiencing a strict order for a prolonged period becomes stale and unmoving, and it’s at that point that we must become open to spontaneity and change – which is frightening to us because change is unpredictable, and we have a tendency to fear anything we cannot map out or make sense of immediately. That’s also the reason why it’s easier to turn a blind eye as to how one is becoming monotone and to just continue as you are – so in a nutshell the series explores the breakage of inertia and the movement to a state of spontaneity and flow.”
Sarim, your solo show’s title, “Finding Flow,” alludes to a deeper significance in your works of art. Could you explain the meaning behind this title and how it connects to the subjects you depict in your drawings?
“The title of the show is ‘Finding Flow’, which is a contradiction because you can’t access the flow state by consciously trying to invoke it. The way to attain a state of flow is by setting out to do something, whether it’s work, a conversation with someone, or exercise – and you will be putting conscious effort into that activity initially, but somewhere down the line, you will realize that you are no longer putting in the tedious effort and that your mind and body are instinctively engaging with that activity, almost on autopilot. And the most interesting thing is, we can never pinpoint the moment when we slip into that state of mind. Think about when during this interview you stopped focusing on my words on purpose and started to seamlessly absorb the things, I’m saying without trying. We don’t find flow by looking for it, we open ourselves up and then happen to find ourselves in it.“
In your solo exhibition, you used a ballpoint pen to illustrate your drawings. Could you elaborate on why you picked this particular medium and how it relates to the themes or ideas you want to portray?
“It was a very careful decision to have the series be executed completely in ballpoint pen. The ballpoint pen is unforgiving of mistakes and stray ink strokes, which is a point of tension for me. The pen has a very fine tip, which means it will take copious amounts of time to create drawings as large as I was trying to make, which is a second point of tension. The third point of tension was the intense focus and concentration that I had to put into the drawings to bring out the level of detail I desired, which gave me headaches at times. These tensions were similar to the state of inertia that I’m trying to present in the artwork itself. Using a medium that inspires tension in myself, as I create the work, allows for that feeling to be present not only in the composition of the pieces but in their making as well.“
What unique challenges or advantages do you find in using ballpoint pen as a medium for your art, and how do these factors inform the creation of your pieces for this exhibition?
“This I actually outlined that in my previous answer, and I wouldn’t call them challenges, but rather characteristics that make ballpoint pen an appropriate medium for the sentiment I’m trying to convey.“
When creating art, how do you deal with any possible obstacles like permanence and constraints? How do you go about overcoming these?
“Again, the unforgiving nature of ballpoint and ink was something that was incorporated into the art itself, rather than treated as an obstacle.“
Can you expound on the challenges or triumphs you experienced in particular while getting ready for this solo exhibit?
“Before these artworks became a series that I intended to exhibit; I treated them as therapeutic practices for myself. As I created these drawings, I was forced to contemplate how my mind and body had been experiencing Inertia over the past few years, and with each piece that was completed, I felt a bit of that rigidity leave me. I’m very happy that I feel lighter and more easygoing now that the series is complete.“
How did you see your viewers’ engagement with or interpret the pieces in this exhibit?
“It was a mixed bag, some observed the work and communicated a resonance with their own experiences of feeling stuck in a rut, which is something I was hoping for. Some saw the series and managed to explain every note and theme I included in the work back to me, which I was extremely surprised and encouraged by. Some people suggested a side to the work that I myself hadn’t even thought of, and I firmly believe that any feeling or perspective that’s drawn from the artwork is entirely valid.“
Since you seem young but have such mature speech, the readers would be quite curious to learn about your training and artistic history. Would you please say something about that?
“So I am entirely self-taught as far as fine art goes, the only creative training I’ve ever received was during my time working as an artist at Mano Animation Studios.“
As an artist, what are your goals and objectives?
“I don’t think that far in the future to be honest, if I feel I have a thought or idea that would have some value if it were to be put out in the world, I’ll do my best to present it. If that’s the case I’d like to have a larger audience so I could see a wider response to my art, but I don’t think very much beyond that.“
Are there any significant influences or artists who have inspired your work?
“So from the way that question is usually phrased, people assume that famous, established artists are always the ones to inspire younger creatives and influence their work, but I think a good creative mind is conscious of every single point of view accessible to it. I’ve been lucky to witness and personally get to know some of the most talented artists to ever come out of this country, and the irony is that even though they inspired me to work hard, nothing they ever said or created influenced anything in my work. I’ve always found inspiration in the uncanniest interactions that I’ve had with people who are often entirely disconnected from the “fine art world.” Conversation is my main source of inspiration, and you can have a conversation with anyone.“
Could you tell us the backstory of one of your most cherished artworks that you have on display in your profile?
“Honestly, I don’t have any favorites from my work I don’t feel possessive about any of my art pieces at all. In this last series, for example, I had no difficulty in parting with all the works that were sold, because I viewed all of them as ‘processes’ rather than artifacts. The making of these pieces allowed me to reconcile with something I was struggling with personally, very much like therapy, and parting with the pieces themselves is not going to take that away from me. Every one of these “processes” was necessary and has it’s place, and so to separate one as a favorite would disbalance that dynamic, it’s just not the way I see it.“
Can you offer any advice to up-and-coming artists who could be inspired by your work or who want to work in the art world as we wrap up our interview?
“Be authentic, and create something that is entirely your own, that you are *personally* passionate about. As complicated as ‘making it’ in the art world may be – something I can’t even say I’ve accomplished yet – I understand that I’ll never create anything meaningful if I’m functioning off of inspiration from someone else’s work. But if I try to create something that I care about, I’ll never run out of the energy and motivation that I need to make what I want to make, and it will be unique to me because no one else would have done it exactly the way I did. Obsession can cascade and hinder your life outside of your art, but no obsession means there’s no art at all.“
What do you see yourself taking on in terms of your artistic career going forward? In your upcoming projects, are there any new media, topics, or approaches that you can’t wait to try?
“I’ll know it when I see it, I’m grateful to be more attuned to the present instead of worrying and planning for the future – that’s its kind of paralysis. If the theme for my next body of work is a good one, it will come to me on its own.“
For those who may have missed your solo exhibition, how can people continue to follow your artistic journey and stay updated on your upcoming projects?
“I’m active on Instagram @sarimkidwai, I usually post about my work and projects over there for the public to see. Otherwise, I’m often around the city dropping tiny drawings from my pocket sketchbook here and there, so if you see me, you can just say hello that way as well.“
Finally, is there a message or feeling you hope the audience leaves with after experiencing “Finding Flow,” and how do you want your art to resonate with people on a personal or emotional level?
“I do hope that it inspires some introspection about their moments of order and flow alike, and how the two are necessary in their own time and place. Sometimes in our lives, we need a structure to ground ourselves and enable growth through discipline and organization. Sometimes to grow, we must break our structures and alter our discipline to allow for something new and stimulating, but both are necessary.“
Dear Sarim thank you so much for generously sharing your creative vision and insights into your remarkable artistic journey during this interview. Your ability to convey intense emotions and personal histories through your ballpoint pen drawings is truly captivating. Before we conclude, I would like to express my gratitude for your time, creativity, and artistic philosophy.
“Thank you again for your time and effort, Usman.“
Sarim Kidwai’s ballpoint pen enchantment “Finding Flow” transcends conventional art, taking viewers on an introspective trip. Sarim’s works, with their tension and complication, invite reflection on change and the delicate interplay of order and spontaneity. His exhibited pieces, which began as therapeutic expressions, leave a lasting effect, advocating for honesty and individual passion in artistic efforts. Sarim’s artistic career is documented on Instagram (@sarimkidwai), where fans may keep up with his changing story. Sarim deserves our heartfelt gratitude for generously sharing his unique artistic philosophy. Best wishes for all of his future pursuits.