[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.00,0:00:04.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ (intro music) ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:00:09.23,0:00:10.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(water drips)
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.64,0:00:29.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,SHAHZIA SIKANDER: There's something about
Dialogue: 0,0:00:29.79,0:00:32.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,process, the miniature process of painting
Dialogue: 0,0:00:32.89,0:00:35.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in this scale, primarily,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.84,0:00:39.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which keeps it in control.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:42.74,0:00:45.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm basically staining the paper
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.47,0:00:49.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it has to be a very even stain.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:51.33,0:00:52.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's slow, and you have to
Dialogue: 0,0:00:52.93,0:00:56.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,keep the edge of the tea really, sort of,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:56.02,0:00:59.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,always in flow, so that you just drip the
Dialogue: 0,0:00:59.33,0:01:02.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whole edge down steadily.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:04.84,0:01:06.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's very meditative
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.88,0:01:10.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and there's a sense of familiarity,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:10.11,0:01:13.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because a lot of years have gone in here.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:14.03,0:01:15.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(rubbing paper)
Dialogue: 0,0:01:22.29,0:01:24.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One thing I've learned is respect for
Dialogue: 0,0:01:24.10,0:01:26.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,tradition and respect for patience
Dialogue: 0,0:01:26.66,0:01:29.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(laughs) because you just cannot achieve
Dialogue: 0,0:01:29.77,0:01:32.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,anything... \NYou can't achieve a painting if
Dialogue: 0,0:01:32.64,0:01:34.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you don't... You need time.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:34.31,0:01:35.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Time is the key.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:36.11,0:01:39.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I can't do a show and prepare a body of
Dialogue: 0,0:01:39.88,0:01:42.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,work in a year. I need three to four years
Dialogue: 0,0:01:43.48,0:01:45.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ (contemplative music) ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:02:04.15,0:02:06.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Miniature painting comes out of book
Dialogue: 0,0:02:06.93,0:02:10.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,illustration, manuscript painting...
Dialogue: 0,0:02:10.02,0:02:12.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's an old art form.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:13.57,0:02:16.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All the strange, stacked-up perspective,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:17.25,0:02:20.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,interior spaces and suggestions of
Dialogue: 0,0:02:20.14,0:02:21.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,windows and doors, which suggest the
Dialogue: 0,0:02:21.97,0:02:24.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,outside world or the spiritual world, or
Dialogue: 0,0:02:24.80,0:02:27.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,some notion of perfection.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:27.65,0:02:29.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ (contemplative music) ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:02:31.90,0:02:35.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That kind of jewel-like translucency that
Dialogue: 0,0:02:35.12,0:02:37.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,comes through is only because you have a
Dialogue: 0,0:02:37.86,0:02:40.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,discipline behind it.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:40.49,0:02:41.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(paper rubbing)
Dialogue: 0,0:02:42.26,0:02:45.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It takes many, many layers - at least ten
Dialogue: 0,0:02:45.56,0:02:48.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to twenty layers of different colour - to
Dialogue: 0,0:02:48.73,0:02:52.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,build it up. You have to be very careful,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:52.03,0:02:54.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because if your brush is loaded with too
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.06,0:02:56.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,much water, you'll lift off the earlier
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.40,0:02:59.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,layers of pigment also, because they're
Dialogue: 0,0:02:59.10,0:03:01.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not sealed. So, it's practice.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.87,0:03:07.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sometimes, when I'm not in practice,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:07.30,0:03:11.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all ten years of experience doesn't mean \Na thing! (laughs)
Dialogue: 0,0:03:19.22,0:03:21.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When we were studying in school in
Dialogue: 0,0:03:21.04,0:03:24.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Pakistan, my teacher used to have us sit
Dialogue: 0,0:03:24.81,0:03:29.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on the floor on white sheets and you had
Dialogue: 0,0:03:29.05,0:03:30.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to leave your shoes outside.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:30.70,0:03:33.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Everything was very precise and very clean
Dialogue: 0,0:03:33.67,0:03:35.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and very minimal.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:36.70,0:03:42.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You worked on your work and did eye \Nexercises. You kept your work at least
Dialogue: 0,0:03:42.75,0:03:46.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a foot away from your eyes. It was very
Dialogue: 0,0:03:46.68,0:03:50.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,methodical. It was very ritualistic, also.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:53.35,0:03:56.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ (contemplative music) ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:04:13.28,0:04:15.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I feel like why I loved miniature painting
Dialogue: 0,0:04:15.95,0:04:18.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,early on... For me, it was painting.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:18.92,0:04:21.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was looking and understanding the formal
Dialogue: 0,0:04:21.12,0:04:23.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,sensibility of painting - except I was not
Dialogue: 0,0:04:23.61,0:04:28.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,painting on canvas, I was painting on \Npaper with a particular set of materials.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:28.85,0:04:35.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But it was all about surface, palette, \Nform, composition, stylization...
Dialogue: 0,0:04:36.61,0:04:40.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And self-expression came later.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.08,0:04:45.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ (contemplative music) ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:05:03.42,0:05:06.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A lot of my work is deeply personal and
Dialogue: 0,0:05:06.67,0:05:09.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,drawn on memory.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:09.65,0:05:12.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you look at this particular border,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:12.82,0:05:15.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's called 'Writing the Written'.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:16.30,0:05:19.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Here, the text becomes more like horses.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:19.31,0:05:21.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's a suggestion of movement.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:21.52,0:05:25.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That aspect is my experience of reading
Dialogue: 0,0:05:25.52,0:05:29.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Quran, where I would read it with no
Dialogue: 0,0:05:29.43,0:05:33.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,particular understanding because I was a \Nchild. I could read Arabic but I couldn't
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.99,0:05:42.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,understand it. The memory of it is this \Namazing visual memory where the beauty of
Dialogue: 0,0:05:42.90,0:05:50.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the written word supersedes everything \Nelse. The meaning is there, but it's not
Dialogue: 0,0:05:50.25,0:05:52.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,just the meaning - it's the ability of the
Dialogue: 0,0:05:52.26,0:05:54.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,written text to take you \Nto that other level.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:54.61,0:05:57.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ (contemplative music) ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:06:04.10,0:06:10.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My whole purpose of taking on miniature \Npainting was to break the tradition,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:10.06,0:06:14.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to experiment with it, \Nto find new ways of making meaning,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:14.92,0:06:17.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to question the relevance of it.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:18.07,0:06:19.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(paper rustles)
Dialogue: 0,0:06:23.34,0:06:25.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The starting point in all my work,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:25.17,0:06:27.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whether it's small or it's large,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:27.22,0:06:29.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,actually begins as simple drawings, which
Dialogue: 0,0:06:29.45,0:06:32.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are done on transparent tissue paper.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:33.23,0:06:34.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(paper rustles)
Dialogue: 0,0:06:37.08,0:06:41.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A lot of the images that exist in my work
Dialogue: 0,0:06:41.08,0:06:45.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,were happening because I was interested in
Dialogue: 0,0:06:46.70,0:06:50.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,subverting Hindu with Muslim \Nand Muslim with Hindu.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:52.77,0:06:55.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Having grown up as a Muslim in Pakistan,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:55.72,0:07:01.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I didn't have that much information about \NHindu mythology. When I came here,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:01.63,0:07:06.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I realized that these were the things \Nwhich still interested me.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:09.36,0:07:10.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(paper rustles)
Dialogue: 0,0:07:16.17,0:07:18.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was looking at the idea of the
Dialogue: 0,0:07:18.96,0:07:21.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hindu goddess. It didn't matter how
Dialogue: 0,0:07:21.70,0:07:25.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,many hands it had, just the notion that \Nit was the female body with several hands
Dialogue: 0,0:07:25.66,0:07:31.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was important. But the goddess had a very \Nspecific face. Here, I was stripping off
Dialogue: 0,0:07:31.56,0:07:35.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the face and putting a headdress, like the
Dialogue: 0,0:07:35.03,0:07:39.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,veil, on top of it. Yet the veil is on \Ntop of a Hindu goddess.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:40.50,0:07:43.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Not to underestimate what's \Nbehind the veil.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:47.32,0:07:49.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The miniatures bring the word 'veil' into
Dialogue: 0,0:07:49.94,0:07:56.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the equation. It kind of connects you to \Na Muslim identity, or a woman's identity.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:56.94,0:07:59.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These are very loaded issues to take on,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:59.51,0:08:01.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because anything and everything
Dialogue: 0,0:08:01.16,0:08:05.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,associated with Islam is either terrorism \Nor oppression for women.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:07.53,0:08:11.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Culturally, it's not my experience.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:13.10,0:08:17.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My grandparents, my parents... Everybody \Nwas very, very progressive,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:17.10,0:08:18.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,very supportive people.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:18.72,0:08:25.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My grandfather was very encouraging \Ntowards careers for women - for everybody.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:25.97,0:08:29.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All the girls in the family did something \Nwith their lives.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:30.53,0:08:34.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,SIKANDER'S MOTHER: But then I was more \Nkeen... "If she's going to the National
Dialogue: 0,0:08:34.34,0:08:40.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,College of Art, then she might as well do \Narchitecture, which has scope." You know,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:40.12,0:08:44.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when she said Fine Arts, one was a bit...
Dialogue: 0,0:08:44.12,0:08:47.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You know, at the most, you just hang \Na few paintings in the house...
Dialogue: 0,0:08:47.92,0:08:50.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Whether you have a future or not...\N(BOTH LAUGH)
Dialogue: 0,0:08:50.94,0:08:54.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- So I was skeptical about that...\N- (SHAHZIA) Sorry!
Dialogue: 0,0:08:54.88,0:08:56.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(machinery whirs)
Dialogue: 0,0:09:01.74,0:09:02.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(rustling)
Dialogue: 0,0:09:05.58,0:09:07.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(SHAHZIA) This type of work for me was
Dialogue: 0,0:09:07.79,0:09:11.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,just the opposite of doing \Nminiature painting.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(machinery whirs)
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(paper rustles)
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This particular installation is much, \Nmuch more spontaneous
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it's always a challenge, because
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the decisions made are fast.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It involves my entire body. I'm
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,working within the space and I'm up and
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,down the ladders and I'm painting,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and everything kind of happens from \Nstart till end within four to five days.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So there's a certain energy which comes out.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(paper rustles)
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There is a certain sense of a low relief,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where several drawings have been hung \Non top of each other.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(paper slides)
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's no intention to hide anything.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Everything is very visible.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The paper is transparent.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It flows, it moves...
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The idea comes out of this whole
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,relationship to veiling and \Nrevealing.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(distant footsteps, paper rustles)
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm always taking photographs, doing
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,sketches or taking notes.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Then, I carry them wherever I go.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I brought so much stuff from Pakistan
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then so much stuff from Texas,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and every time I sit to do some work,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all of it is opened up.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(machinery whirs)\N(switch clicks)
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For me, it's always like these \Ndivine circles.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(laughs) \NYou know, you go and you experience
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,something, and you come back right where
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you started.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When I'm working large and I paint
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and do murals, the next thing is: always
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I come back to miniature painting.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I can hate miniature for a while,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because it's frustrating, \Nfor all the different reasons
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of doing something so labor-intensive
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which takes years to make.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's always like, 'Why do I do this?'
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I'll let go, and I'll do \Nsomething else,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but I always come back to it.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe because the sheer act of doing it
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,gives me a certain sort of peace.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ (contemplative music) ♪
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ (outro music) ♪
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,VOICEOVER: To order a 2-tape set
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of art:21 - Art in the 21st Century on \Nvideo cassette
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or the companion book to the program,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,call PBS Home Video at \N1-800-PLAY-PBS.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To learn more about art:21 - Art in the \N21st Century, and to download the free
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Teacher's Guide, please visit PBS online \Nat PBS.org
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ (outro music) ♪