She is born with an eye for finding beauty in mundane objects which we see everyday and just pass by. She frames them into strikingly beautiful photographs, playfully and comfortably.

A self-taught photographer and digital artist, Maryam Arif was born to a family of physicians; a shy and isolated child who always felt herself a misfit among her age fellows.

“I was a silent, introvert and observant child who would love alternative music and films at a very tender age and was allergic to mainstream commercial stuff popular among my age group,” she recalls.

“My father gave me confidence and helped me get out of this isolation. I started discussing things and the process polished my way of thinking,” she acknowledges.

She was familiar with camera, making photographs depicting elements of architecture, since her childhood but never thought of being a professional photographer.

She studied medicine by choice but got hooked seriously to photography during her postgraduate research studies in Arizona, US.

“I was living all alone with no relatives in any neighbouring states of Arizona. So spent a lot of time doing photography. I was pleasantly surprised to find individuality in my works but still wasn’t confident enough to own myself as a photographer.

“Malcolm Hutcheson, assistant professor of photographic arts at Beaconhouse National University, Lahore, was the first professional photographer I showed my works to. His encouraging response helped me a great deal to confide in him my approach to look at the subject,” she said.

She considers meeting Ghazanffar Ali and Shireen Pasha a watershed moment of her life.

“They mentored me in a wise and subtle way, without imposing or suggesting anything, to work with the flow and spontaneity of my own,” she acknowledges.

Her first solo show ‘spiritual elevation’ at Nairang Art Galleries, Lahore, in 2012 was well received by senior artists and art lovers.

“I was amused by a small piece of writing left by Salima Hashim who visited the gallery in my absence before the inauguration,” she said in an exciting tone.

“Quddus Mirza encouraged me by relating my works to Franz Kafka. I was not familiar with any of Kafka’s writings, but I read them later to develop an understanding of my own works,” she adds.

It was followed by another show, ‘Levels of Existence’ at Alhamra Art Galleries in 2014.

“I enjoy my own shows the most, the visual impact of works on display at a gallery is far stronger than on a computer screen,” she believes.

Her compositions are getting mature by the passage of time and the colours turning sublime and mute. The black and white compositions dominated her latest solo show ‘Restitution of Life’, held in November 2014, at Zahoorul Ikhlaq Gallery, NCA, Lahore.

With three solo shows to her credit, she has following on the Internet. For the last few years, she has ventured into video installations as well. Currently working as an assistant curator at the Zahoorul Ikhlaq Gallery, she moderates a monthly discussion session with people from different walks of life.

In most of her works, she focuses on architectural spaces, symmetry, lines and impact of light on the objects. The element of surprise is the most significant part of her work. She usually picks up an ordinary part of a commonly seen object, composes it in artistic way and gives a creative title that adds to the mystery and beauty of the visual.

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2015

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