Sadia Rathore

3^rd Prize in APA 2023

Sadia graduated in Fine Arts from the University of Balochistan in 2011 and later she acquired expertise in miniature painting at the National College of Arts, Lahore. Her artistic journey reflects a profound connection to her Baloch heritage and the paintings highlights not only highlights remarkable skills but are also a testament to her dedication to the children of her society.

ARTIST STATEMENT:

“I explore the layers of under and overexposed truths. From my childhood, the allure of carpet-making stirred questions of power, ethics, and the essence of labor. Through the hands of Baloch children’s immaculate craftsmanship, the threads are woven into expensive carpets. This defies the laws of child labor laws and influences their lives negatively. As an artist and child rights activist, I  delve into the language of coercion that leads young artisans away from their fundamental rights, uncovering behaviours that command and tether lives to perpetual drudgery, while also acknowledging the potential for artistic endeavours to foster mental and    emotional development. Each dot I  place, is a probe into behaviours, revealing shifts in treatment with the young artisans. Trained in the artistry of miniatures, I draw parallels to the Mughal era’s forced labor, fusing ‘pardaakht’ with oil painting. The brilliance of colors in my strokes mirrors the bright thoughts and tenderness within a young artisan’s intellect, and the complex interplay between subjective and objective morality that shapes their world.”