Naureen is a dedicated humanitarian and an expressionist painter…
Naureen does not take art as a way to sell paintings but it is, to her a way to express her experiences and thoughts. She stepped away from art and writing for a while being a government official and gender advisor towards a challenging international career—spending time in both South Asia and West Africa.
Reconnecting with painting during COVID reconnected her with her thoughts around inequalities, discrimination , climate, and difficult topics such as gender, human rights, inclusion, freedom, religion,, and the life experiences of women in a patriarchal society—exploring rays of hope and happiness. Her career as a humanitarian inspires and shapes her artwork. Naureen has been invited as the guest speaker at many global art and social events that are related to her work as a humanitarian to inspire young future leaders.
“Art is not a business to me, its like therapy and like writing my journal—due to a challenging career and experience of a confined life caused by the pandemic, I’ve recently reconnected to my passion of expressing myself through art. Without having dedicated time, I’ just explore what exists around me and its impact on what’s within me—whether it’s a time of day, reflections, emergencies, concrete buildings, or hundreds of humans protesting…its all about the link between my thoughts, situations, lines and colors.
In isolation, I question the norms surrounding the human beings. Everyday observations of cities, people, New York lights, the sky, sounds, the littered sidewalks, nature, concrete, colors…..they all speak to me….and the dialogue between my soul and earth continues”
—Naureen
“Naureen’s work has flourished from realism to impressionism possessing a deep spiritual quality that makes her stand out from the rest...I see abstracts of displaced people, emotions of different ages in her unique works of art and expression.”
— Tassaduq Hossein Dulu, Artist, Bangladesh
“Naureen’s work subtly confronts the viewer with questions concerning humanity: what forces are most impacting our lives? what moves us? what sociocultural norms determine women’s lives? Her work is as aesthetic and appealing as it is stirring, touching and questioning...skillfully uniting watercolor and calligraphy to address burning issues of humanity.”
— Annemarie Matzakow, Artist, Germany
“...based in a profound humanism, what Naureen does in her imagery is present us with suggestion, not preaching. We are handed observation, not diatribe. Naureen both absorbs what she encounters and seeks solace through the fluidity of hand, water, and pigment”
— R. Byron Breese, USA
Education
Naureen holds a degrees in Journalism and mass communication along with a Masters with distinction in arts. She has also attended many courses in Gender, RH and rights, leadership in PHEs.
Exhibitions
“Fusion” with Sri Lankan artist, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2009, 2010
Solo Exhibition “Saving Heritage and declining balconies”, Shakir Ali Museum, Lahore, Pakistan, 2001
Solo exhibition at Pakistan National Council of Arts, Islamabad National Gallery, Islamabad, Pakistan, 2000
Solo show, Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore, Pakistan, 2002
Solo show, Lahore Art Gallery, Lahore, Pakistan, 2002
Group show, personal sketches, Delft, Holland, 1998
Group show of international artists, National Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka 2000, 2002, 2004
Participated in more than 50 group shows in and outside Pakistan
Achievements
Young artist award by Punjab Artists Association
Punjab artists association group shows held from 2004 to 2009
Represented Pakistani Artists at International Artists Camp by George Keyt Foundation Sri Lanka in 2000
Represented Pakistani Artists at International Artists Camp by George Keyt Foundation Sri Lanka in 2002
represented Pakistani Artists at International Artists Camp by George Keyt Foundation Sri Lanka in 2004
Art work at Heritage collection at the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Pakistan
Spiritual paintings in collection of Pakistan High Commission Colombo, Sri lanka
Awarded by the UN Resident Coordinator for UN staff creative competition on ONE UN
Press
Personal Statement
My drawings and paintings are spontaneous and inspired by simple thoughts that relate to an event or situation. I am attracted to the depth of a subjects and day to day events, historic and spiritual perspectives of why people suffer in the changing world.
Through the years of my journey of self exploration and unseen human connection with the spiritual side of life, I have come up with my own interpretation of human beings in relation with climate, buildings, spaces, movements of body, words, and sounds.
My inclination towards climate change, human rights, diversity and inclusion with their link to various unexplored dimensions of life is my latest passion.
To me, painting is a just a means of expression. Despite how deceptively simple that sounds, at many points during work, I break down and later find myself mentally engaged in self discussion, interpreting the messages relieved through the sense of perception, even to the extent of critically assessing the content of what people do around me. The plight of women, pain of war, mystery of words and the hidden truth. It all gives me hope and courage to find balance between art as a source of self expression and art as the source of happiness.