Art is a never-ending reel of ideas and thoughts. Everyone is an artist in his or her own way. Only the courageous express their imaginative self and ideas for the world to view.
Sarfan Nazar is a Sri Lankan expatriate and artist in Qatar. Hailing from a village, he has always enjoyed intimacy with nature and its beauty. The nature and motivation from his parents have helped him pursue his love for art besides his regular job.
“I hail from a village called Irakkamam. It is a sprawling green haven, lush with trees and a beautiful lake. My proximity to nature in its true essence is among the prime reasons that explain my penchant towards art,” said Sarfan in a recent interview with Gulf Times.
Born and brought up in a middle class family, Sarfan realised very soon that he could not pursue art as his career.
“I always felt that taking art as a career full-time was not viable and that it had no future. Hence, I took up engineering and design with the intent of getting a good job to support my family. I am now working as a landscape designer for a reputed company in Qatar. I never regret taking this decision as I enjoy my job, because it helps me hone my creative skills.”
The artist is a nature-lover and grew up appreciating it in its various forms.
“Be it the flora and fauna around or the sheer brilliance of a sunrise, I am always entranced by the beauty of nature and its offerings. So much so that I sometimes just stand awestruck and wonder how beautiful the world around us is. At the age of five, I started using my imagination and tried replicating my thoughts on paper. And my love for art only grew from there.”
Sarfan usually uses oil paints with special focus on realism. All his artworks are oil on canvas. “Before final piece execution, I do my initial sketches and comparisons. I take my artwork from various stages. I also work with charcoal on paper to produce life-like detailed sketches. During my teenage, I was inspired by the renowned Sri Lankan artist Solies Mendis and was greatly inspired by his usage of colours which was unique only to him. Later in life, I was intrigued by the works of Leonardo Da Vinci. His work made me understand realism in detail. I am also an ardent follower of Salvador Dali. His level of creativity and surrealist masterpieces amazes me every time I see it.”
The artist has been part of various exhibitions in Sri Lanka and Qatar.
“I have attended exhibitions in Fire Station, Katara and other major venues. I find these venues as a source of inspiration and I also take it as an opportunity to network with fellow artists.
“I have been a part of more than 40 competitions back home with a couple of them on the national level. I have won several accolades. I take pride in mentioning that I was recognised by the Sri Lankan government to be one of the ‘Young National Artist’ of Sri Lanka in 2017.”
For the young artist, art is a journey of a million years. It evolves and breathes continuously.
“I believe it to be a never-ending reel of ideas and thoughts. I believe everyone is an artist in his/her own way. Only the courageous express their imaginative self and ideas for the world to view. You give anybody a blank sheet of paper to express themselves and every person can do wonders. All it takes is courage.”
Sarfan finds the pandemic lockdown time to be a positive healing for his soul.
“First of all, my heart goes out to all those who have been fighting day and night to get the world rid of this pandemic. Their efforts are commendable and will not go unnoticed. The lockdown seems to have proven frustrating to a lot of people because they feel they have been forced into confinement. On the contrary, I find this time to be a positive healing to my soul. I have had much more time to reflect on my ideas and present them better. That’s what an artist needs in my opinion. Leaving the hustle and bustle of the daily life behind, and being closer to what you want to present effectively.”
The artist believes Qatar is doing an excellent job to promote local residents and foreigners in many aspects.
“There are a lot more venues and options for senior artists and upcoming artists. There are lots of places to showcase your artwork and boost a new artistic career. The Qatar scene has developed significantly in the past few years. Opening of Qatar National Museum and various private art platforms combine together to give many options for young talent to come up.”
Sarfan Nazar
