Today we’d like to introduce you to Qindeel Butt.
Qindeel, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I come from a Pakistani Muslim family. The arts were not really the thing to pursue coming from such a background. For a while, my dad hinted — hard actually, that I should go into the medical field. There would be more stability. But here I am, stubbornly toiling away. Art class was probably my favorite class during my middle and high school years. It didn’t stress me out the way my math or science classes did. I don’t remember crying as a child because I couldn’t understand the principles of art and design. I do, however, remember crying over dividing fractions.
Later as an adult, I attended the University of Houston for my undergraduate degree in painting and graduated in 2014. During my undergraduate time, I was looking a lot at the people around me in my work, trying to paint them somewhat realistically. After graduating, I floated around for two years. I tried keeping a studio practice while working in unrelated jobs, as is probably the case for most painters or creative types.
Around this time, I painted a small series of portraits of women in my family, sourcing their images from photographs taken from their weddings. Following the bride paintings, I began a series of self-portraits. They were a way for me to work out emotional conflicts I was having.
In 2017, I was asked back to the University of Houston to complete my graduate degree in painting. Attending school again has allowed me more dedicated time and space to keep exploring. Being around other painters and disciplines helps, too. My current work has shifted away from representations of people. It’s new for me. I’m not sure where it’s headed, but I’m excited to see where it might go.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
Living and working in Houston makes driving a necessary evil for me. I source my images — usually captured by my phone, from familiar and unfamiliar travel routes that are taken either by car or on foot. Making a wrong turn or taking a back road while driving and finding odd objects dumped in an open field. Discarded, maybe once taken care of, but now they’ve reached the end of their use. Walking in places, you don’t typically go or shouldn’t be at and finding something amusing written on the ground or the side of a building. A mysterious and unfamiliar discovery, but welcomed and appreciated.
I tend to anthropomorphize or project onto the things I find. This tendency probably comes from my mother who I’ve heard on a number of occasions call a damaged house plant in Urdu “ba-charaa” or “poor thing.” We both tend to see our own situations reflected into other forms. When I find a discarded item, I imagine not only what kind of person might’ve left a beat-up leather couch behind, but how the object’s careless placement adds to my perception of a personality or human-like feeling. They feel like vessels for a soul waiting to tell a story. Presently, I’m trying to translate these ideas and feelings into paintings.
Do current events, local or global, affect your work and what you are focused on?
There are artists out there that are reacting to what’s been going on as of late and being critical of it through their work. And that’s great! It’s another way of informing and staying informed. But what if with this inundation of information, 24/7 news cycles, a fatigue starts to set in?
I think my work right now plays a self-soothing role in my life. I’ve had to distance myself from the news and limit my time digging into the bad stuff. It takes a mental toll that can then manifest itself physically. I hope that my paintings can communicate the idea of stopping and looking at the things around us. To me, it’s a meditation on the unremarkable. Being curious about it. Letting your mind wander. A respite. At least this is what I hope for.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
People can see my work in their pocket. I have an Instagram account. It’s a mix of my art and everyday life. You might see my face. You might see old paintings of me that show way more than my face. There’s my website which needs updating. I promise I’ll update it soon!!!
If you’re nice, you can ask to visit my studio at the University of Houston. If the kind of work I make is appealing to you, you can purchase them or contact me about a commission. If the kind of work I make is appealing to you, you can ask to have me display it in your gallery space or do a collaborative event. Beggars can’t be choosers, but I have a right to say “no” if you come at me with something shady. But do tell your friends, your mom, and your dog. Thank you.
Contact Info:
- Website: qindeelb.com
- Phone: 281-793-3981
- Email: qindeelb@gmail.com
- Instagram: qindeelbum
Image Credit:
Renato Quijada
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