ARTIST STATEMENT
In my everyday life, my escape is in the creative power of art. I am primarily a visual person and am always observing images and ideas which have yet to take form. That was the case for my new series of images to memorialize the changing events to the world geography. My work has always been a mirror of my culture in which I live and through my work, I express my joy, pain, desire and triumphs. As I try to come to terms with the unspeakable events of the existing world, my paintings reflect my inner sense of hope and despair. These paintings are the visual expression of my own feelings to the tragedy of not building bridges across nations and I believe they serve to express what we’ve all been feeling as we come to the reality that our world has changed forever. The symbol of line – central to the concept of connecting, normally has a positive association, but has a contradictory value when placed in this context. In short, it is a study of symbolic dualities. In a way this work cannot be separated from the rest of my work, but is viewed as a separate series. I used everything from collage to acrylics. I attempted to explore different mediums and materials pertaining to my concept.

All Walls… No Bridges – a series of four mixed media paintings is the first in a series of works based on the physical aspects of tormented world. It reflects the current environment of chaos and conflict in the region of Middle East and communicates ideas and experiences as I see it. The paintings are communicating complex messages in subtle ways. These works of art bring people into the aesthetics and complex semantics of its forms, and encourages them to go further in their thoughts, often further than what I have visualized. I am trying to make an intervention into the ways in which people think about the world, representing the things we would rather repress, bringing forward traces from the past, provoking strong likes and dislikes, but in an environment that causes the viewer to think and reflect.

For one thing, doing these paintings has taught me that lack of understanding about different religions is perhaps the most critical issue of our times. We are so much focused on the form of the religions that we have completely ignored the substance which in most cases is same for most religions. There is now an urgent need to initiate a dialogue between the conflicting parties so that we can focus on the similarities rather than the differences. I know this is an over simplification of the complexity of the issue but it is also naïve to assume that status quo will change the situation. At some point in time the equation has to change. As Jimi Hendrix said it so beautifully, “When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace”.

These paintings remind us to try and change not only the way these two religions are dealing with each other but also the way they are dealing with the world we are living in. Tolerance is respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of our world’s religions, cultures, our forms of expression and ways of being human. The purpose is to work together so that the ethical input for the respect of others religion becomes visible. Currently the world is an unsettling and even threatening place. This is because we have alienated its audience.

We are at a defining moment in our history. It is now our choice if we would like to lay the foundation for peace for our future or leave the world in its current state. We must act now. We owe this to our children. We do not want to leave a legacy of conflict for our new generation. We all know this not by reason but by heart that here and elsewhere progress will accelerate and dreams will come true, only if we are able to span borders with bridges. There is a map of the world in the lines that I draw on these paintings. And, I have seen a few new lines that appeared to chart a new world. Let’s build the world again for us and all the others who lost it.

Education

1996 Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, N.Y.
M.F.A. in Printmaking with minor in Drawing, graduated with distinction.

1991 National College of Arts, Lahore, Pakistan.
B.F.A. in Printmaking with minor in Indian Miniature Painting, graduated with honors.

Exhibitions

2009 "Erasing Borders: Passport to Contemporary Indian Art", Apparao Galleries , Chennai, India

2009 "Erasing Borders: Passport to Contemporary Indian Art", Bharatiya Pravasi Divas, Chennai, India

2008 "Erasing Borders: Passport to Contemporary Indian Art", Queens Museum of Art, Flushing Meadows, New York

2008 "Erasing Borders: Passport to Contemporary Indian Art", Hammond Museum, North Salem, New York

2008 "Erasing Borders: Passport to Contemporary Indian Art", Brownson Art Gallery, Manhattanville College, Purchase, Westchester, New York
2008 "Erasing Borders: Passport to Contemporary Indian Art", The Guild Gallery, New York, New York

2008 "Erasing Borders: Passport to Contemporary Indian Art", Tabla Rasa Gallery, Brooklyn, New York

2008 "South Asian/American Art Festival", Gallery Arena 1, Santa Monica Art Studios, Santa Monica, California.

2008 “Penumbra”, Gallery 825, Los Angeles Art Association, Los Angeles, California

2007 "Open Show", Gallery 825, Los Angeles Art Association, Los Angeles, California.

2007 “TarFest Art Show 2007”, Korean Cultural Center Art Gallery, Los Angeles, California.

2007 "2007 California Open Exhibition", TAG Gallery, Santa Monica, California.

2007 "Open Call LA 2007", Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Department of Cultural Affairs,
Los Angeles, California.

2007 "Tolerance of Belief", Black Walnut Gallery, Chicago, Illinois.

2007 "Nature House - Art and Poetry", Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, Illinois.

2007 "Changing Climate, Changing Colors: Work of Contemporary Muslim Artists", Abrons Art Center, Henry Street Settlement, New York, New York.

2007 "January Exhibition", Projekt30, New York, New York.

2006 “Seventh Annual ArtWallah Festival”, George J. Doizaki Gallery, Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, Los Angeles, California.

2003 “Pakistani Art Today”, The Residence of Pakistani Ambassador to the US, New York, New York.

2003 “6th Bharat Bhavan International Biennial of Print-Arts-2002”, Museum of Fine Arts, Bhopal, India.

2002 “Transforming Tradition: Contemporary Visions from Pakistan”, The World Bank Art Gallery, Washington, D.C.

2002 “911: Pratt Artists Respond”, The Rubelle & Norman Schafler Gallery, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn,
New York.

2002 “5th Bharat Bhavan International Biennial of Print-Arts-2001”, Museum of Fine Arts, Jaipur, India.

2001 “5th Bharat Bhavan International Biennial of Print-Arts-2001”, Museum of Fine Arts, Bhopal, India.

2001 “Women Perception of War”, InterArt Annex, New York, New York

2000 “Good Business Is the Best Art”: Twenty Years of the Artist in the Marketplace Program, The Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx, New York.

“Reflections”: The Pakistan American Cultural Society, Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

1997-98 “Artist in the Marketplace: Eighteen Annual Exhibition,” The Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx,
New York.

1996 Graduate Show, Gallery 107, Higgins Hall, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York.

1995 “The Second International Female Artist’s Art Biennial,” Art Addiction, Gallery HOGBERGSGATAN, Stockholm, Sweden.

1995 “Prints Exhibition”, The National Institute of The Arts, Fine Art Department, South and North Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.

1995 “Page 22,” NY SoHo Biennial ’95, 450 Broadway Gallery, 450 Broadway, New York, New York.

1995 “Group Show,” International Students Association, New Gallery, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York.

1995 “Out of Pakistan,” The African American Master Artists in Residence Program (AAMARP) at Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts.

1995 “The 1995 Asia Prints Exhibition”, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.

1995 Group Show, “3 Printmakers”, Kentler International Drawing Space,
Brooklyn, New York.

1995 “Artists Group Show,” 450 Broadway Gallery, New York, New York.

1995 Group Show, “15th Annual Graduate Symposium”, Higgins Hall Gallery, Pratt Institute. Juried exhibition publicly reviewed by visiting critics, including Phyllis Kind, Donald Kuspit, Suzanne Ramljak and Simon Watson.

1994 “International Art Exhibition of Student Works”, Nagoya University of Arts, Nagoya, Japan.

1994 Exhibition, “Black and White” New Gallery, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York.

1994 Included in Pratt Portfolio, “Ink”, at Pratt Institute, New Gallery, Brooklyn, New York.

1994 Included in Pratt Portfolio, “Ink”, at Manhattan Graphics Center, New York.

1993 Exhibition of Prints, “Print Show,” American Center, Lahore, Pakistan.

1992 Exhibition of Paintings and Prints, “Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust,” Lahore, Pakistan.

1992 Group Show, “Exhibition of Prints and Miniatures,” Nairang Gallery, Lahore, Pakistan.

1992 Group Show, “Exhibition of Prints and Miniatures,” Rohtas Gallery, Islamabad, Pakistan.

1992 Juried Undergraduate Show, National College of Arts, Lahore, Pakistan.

1991 National Show, “Collective Exhibition of Graphic Prints”, National Art Gallery, Islamabad, Pakistan.

1990 “Third Annual Exhibition of Art Work by Artists under thirty”, National Art Gallery, Islamabad, Pakistan.

1989 “Young Artists from Lahore”, Shakir Ali Museum, Lahore, Pakistan.

Awards
Honorable Mention Award – Juror Peter Frank (Senior Curator, Riverside Art Museum and art critic for LA Weekly)
2007 California Open Exhibition, TAG Gallery, Santa Monica, California.
Juror's Award - Panel of Jurors from Los Angeles
Open Call LA 2007, Presented by the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles, California.
Outstanding Achievement Award in Studio Arts
Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York.
Pratt Circle Award

Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York.

Included in 20th Edition

Who’s Who in American Women

Collections

Permanent collection, The World Bank Art Gallery, Washington, D.C.
Print collection, New York Public Library, New York City, New York, United States.
Private collection of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Liebskin, New York, United States.
Private collection of Mr. and Mrs. M. Schmidt, Berlin, Germany.
Private collection of Mr. and Mrs. K. Butt, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
Private collection of Mr. and Mrs. Jae-Hyun Chun, Seoul, Korea.
Various private collections in Pakistan, United States and Japan.

Memberships

Los Angeles Artists association, Los Angeles, CA
Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL
The Drawing Center, New York, NY
Southern California Women’s Caucus for Art, Los Angeles, CA

Bibliography

“24 Muslim Artists at Abrons Arts Center”, (Jan. 18, 2007); LoHo10002: 24 Muslim Artists at Abrons Arts Center, www.loho10002.blogspot.com/2007/01/24-muslim-artists-at-abrons-arts-center.html

“Live Interview”, by Desi You’s Anjali Belmann, Desiyou.com, Los Angeles, (June 24, 2006); 3:59 min. www.desiyou.com/articles/2006/07/bushra_chaudry_artwallah_exhib/

Video: Bushra Chaudry Artwallah 2006 Exhibit. ... Bushra Chaudry Artwallah 2006 Exhibit. Submitted By: Anonymous on 2006-10-26. (June 24, 2006); 3:59 min. www.fredgraverswebpicks.magnify.net/item Fred Graver's Web Picks: Bushra Chaudry Artwallah 2006 Exhibit

“Live Interview”, by Desi You’s Anjali Belmann, Desiyou.com, Los Angeles, (June 24, 2006); 3:59 min. www.youtube.com/watch YouTube - Bushra Chaudry Artwallah 2006 Exhibit

Video: Bushra Chaudry Artwallah 2006 Exhibit, (June 24, 2006); 3:59 min. www.bollywood.magnify.net/

Bushra Chaudry Artwallah 2006 Exhibit. Flash Player Embed: (www.scriptinstaller.net/.../Bushra Chaudry-Artwallah-2006-Exhibit.html

“Transforming Tradition: Contemporary Visions from Pakistan Fasihullah Ahsan, Bushra Chaudry; Talha Rathore”, The Art Program, World Bank, 2002, www.worldbank.org/Art Program Exhibition & Events

“Women In Wartime”, (Nov. 8, 2001); www.dilateworld.willotoons.com/fall_01

“One Museum, Five Shows and a Million Lives and Passions”, by Holland Cotter, Art Review, Weekend
Fine Arts Leisure, The New York Times, Vol. CXLVII … No. 51,249, Friday, (August 14, 1998); p E33.

“Prints From Pratt: Students Create A Collection of Jewels”, Report, Editions, Vol. II, No. 1,
(Fall 1994):p 4.

“Art for Technique’s Sake”, by Rina Khan, Art, The Friday Times, (May 28 - June 31 1992); p 11.

“Bobbing Along on the Bottom -----”, by Mobin Asghar, Media, Weekend Post, Friday, (May 29, 1992); p 4.

“NCA Artists Group Show Attracts Stream of Connoisseurs”, by Sultan J. Qureshi, The National,
Thursday, (May 21, 1992); p 2.

“Outside the Physical”, by Aasim Akhtar, Fine Art, The Herald, Vol. 18, No. 4, (April 1992); pp.140-141

“Coming into Her Own”, by Nyla Daud, Profile, She magazine, Vol. IX, No. 6. (April 1992); p 39.

“Studies in Excellence”, by Salima Hashmi, Artline, Newsline, Vol. 4, No. 2, (March/April 1992);
pp. 112-113

“Live Interview”, by Dildar Pervaiz Bhatti, Panjnad L-28, Pakistan Television Corporation Limited,
Lahore Television Center, (Oct. 5, 1989); 10 min.