Hafsa Aziz BA (Hons) Fine Art
Hafsa’s practice relates to quiet, private modes of making and inner journeys that can be taken in a time of physical restriction and virtual dominance. Utilising cursive forms such as the spiral and meander to suggest paths travelled, works are made alongside each other to explore combinations, exhaust possibilities and follow the infinite number of paths the line can take. In creating ‘units’ and ‘glyphs,’ her work endeavours to cultivate a sense of visual roaming through situations of dependence and reliance – wherein no single part of the work is more important than others. Formalistic in their concerns of line, pattern, shape, depth and colour, the pieces rest heavily on feelings of balance and visual harmony.
The spiral and meander are reccurent motifs within Hafsa's work. Crossing over various cultures and times, these forms appear to hold a kind of universality and timelessness that transcends disciplines, reaching into biology, mathematics, architecture, philosophy, etc. In this sense, these forms have an accessibility - a deeply important consideration within her practice - as anyone, regardless of their knowledge of art history can read and understand these forms and draw upon the well of associations they have attached. Given the somewhat solitary nature of how she works, this sense of a shared visual tongue is reassuring. Whilst drawing from these shared symbols, Hafsa is also building her own distinct visual language - one that keeps growing and expanding. This, she feels exposes a duality within her work, which balances a sensitivity towards archetypal forms and also a desire for something more personal.
There is more yet to come from the Manchester School of Art Class of 2021 than this online platform. Please follow our work for updates of physical, independent shows around Manchester, set up students who have collectivised in the effort to support each other and create spaces that do both our work and experience at university justice.
