About Mahmood Hayat
I am a visual artist, who graduated from the oldest art institute in the subcontinent namely; National College of Arts in 2007.
My love towards art started at an early age when i was introduced to traditional techniques of painting and finishing classical french interior products. Later on, i discovered my passion to learn about the techniques and how beautifully the old masters used to paint and draw figures. This path led me towards practising the art of portrait, studying the old masters and from there generating my own unique original expression.
My artworks are influenced by the personal things which happen in my life and i am a silent person. The only way i can express my inner feelings is through painting them on the canvas or watercolors on paper, be that animal or human form. Since i love painting anatomy I always want to paint it beautifully.
Before i plan to lay it down on my canvas, i make sure that i have drawn my subject on a small piece of paper to understand and clear my concepts. This exercise makes me correct my proportions in understanding how to approach my subject on a large sized canvas or paper.
The references that i use for my artworks are sometimes my own documented images. Sometimes i use anatomical images from books or the internet searches and fuse them in my own composition since finding a nude model in Pakistan is near to impossible due to religious factors and threats. I also believe that while i am working with a composition, at the same time i am drawing with knowledge from my past experiences and imagining how light falls to illuminate that subject.
My intentions are not to simply paint a picture, but rather to paint a feeling. When ever I am painting anything I dream and imagine a story which goes inside my mind. I render my subjects with the help of subtle shifts in light, and apply harmonious warm colors to compliment my composition.
The most important thing that matters to me is;
How I can serve others? I believe the most valuable currency in life is how you make people around you feel when and when they view my paintings. How my skill, talent and expression defines who i am, and how people see me as that unique person with an original expression. I paint a certain subject and remove myself from that scene. How the viewer reacts to it, is not under my control.
Art is that certain focus or a connection, that somebody else can make when they look at a certain displayed art piece without any favoritism, pity or a commercial aspect. “That pure” connection is an automatic emotional response that a viewer feels the second they look at an art piece. This experience is as close to feeling as if the artist wrote that perfect song just for the viewer.
I believe our eyes are like projectors, we see, we do and see a second film infront of us which i call "reaction". We see and come up with our own style towards life, our own unique expression which we discover along the way through which others pick up those vibes we generate, that`s part of the fun.
Apart from all this, i pay close attention to my materials. I tend to make my own stretcher bars with traditional joinery and custom wooden pegs as i like them. In my mediums section, i only use the best winsor & newton oil paint tubes, pastels and grumbacher charcoals. The paper i use, is from archers and archival paper.
Lastly, in comparison to historical and contemporary works i believe that my work is influenced and inspired by the "classical academic style" - but since i am a contemporary artist born in the 80's, i always work towards giving my artworks an original contemporary visual look.
Exhibitions:
Solo Exhibition 2013 Nia Rang Art Gallery, Lahore, Pakistan.
Group Exhbition 2013 Collectors Galleria, Lahore, Pakistan.
Group Exhibition Auction at Sopocki Dom Aukcyjny; Poland 2014.
Group Exhibition Gallery - My Art World, Islamabad 2014.
Artisan, Charity 2014 March Exhibition Islamabad.
Exhibition Creativ Team USA – Artist/Talent Pakistan Movement 2014.
Solo Exhibition 2014 at National College of Arts 2014 Lahore.
Art Works Group Exhibition 2015 September, USA..
Painting submission for Marshal Charity Fundraiser 2016
Imago Mundi Italy 2017
Nomad Gallery Islamabad Group Exhibition 2018
Artscene Karachi Group Exhibition 2018
Fine Art Gallery Dubai 2018 Group Show
Taseer Art Gallery Pakistan 2018 Group Show Triumvirate
World Wide Kitsch 2018 - Group Exhibition of 20 countries Around the World
