As a trained painter, I certainly do not find painting to be restricted ideologically within its frame. It is not autonomous from the world it occupies. Particularly in an age where visibility has become a form of political agency, pictorial representation gives authority and agency to the maker. The ability to depict oneself in one’s own terms, and thereby tweaking the world views of others, is one of the most potent transformative tools available to us. Works presented in Window-less views has evolved over various mediums and changing seasons of Finland. Marking different occasions, structures and surface sizes – they were made channelling, adapting and adopting many views, ways of interpreting and perceiving during my three years of living in Finland.
In my work, I observe window features and geometrical shaped frames to create a window-like space with visuals that juggle between my imagination and a bank of photographic references. They are essential in connecting the concepts of adaptation and coping as I explore, inhabit and work in spaces that may or may not have windows. Viewing the sky juxtaposed with certain objects through these frames is used as a metaphor for stillness and looking outward at an underlying calmness waiting to be discovered.
In my room back in my home country, Pakistan, the windows were designed in such a way that they could not be easily opened. Every time the windows needed to be opened, I’d prefer not to because the mechanism and its layers – consisting of curtain drapes, a windowpane, the net, a window grill – would not motivate me to do so. As a result, I couldn’t see the sun rays beaming into my room, nor could I see the clouds pass by while reading in bed. To see the sky, I’d have to leave my room and go outside, either in the backyard or for a drive.
My inspiration comes from the sky; the spectrum of colours it contains is enough to keep me dreaming, reflecting on myself, and getting closer to nature. The inspiration reappeared while living in Finland. Although, now I count the months and days as if I were playing hide and seek with the weather in order to catch some sun rays and the gorgeous bright blue sky.
Zahrah Ehsan is a visual artist from Lahore, Pakistan and currently based in Helsinki, Finland. In 2020, she completed her degree of Master of Arts in Visual Cultures, Curating and Contemporary Arts from Aalto University, Finland. She is currently a participant at Academy of Moving People and Images’ filmmaking program for the years 2021-2022. She received her Bachelors of Fine Arts with Honours in 2012, with a concentration in painting from the National College of Arts, Pakistan. Zahrah’s practice is deeply experimental including scavenged materials from industry, popular culture, and utility incorporating it into her paintings, on-site installations, video art that is mostly a critique on the notions of gender, adaptation and identity, mental health and types of artistic and everyday labour.
