The Artist
Born in 1975 in Pakistan, brought up in Manchester and now living in Blackburn, Lancashire, Halima's varied, multi-cultural background is tangibly present in her work.
A natural creativity presented itself at an early age and was nurtured to fruition as Halima carved her way through an art-based education: an undergraduate degree in 1997 and an MA in 2002.
The culmination of this process is Halima's precociously mature work. Fusing her Asian roots with a fascination for African pattern work and a passion for architectural geometry, Halima's work is intense yet playful, structured yet creative; substantial yet dynamic and invariably compelling in its originality.
The Work
Combining strong geometric elements with recurrent patterns and architectural principles, Halima's work utilises definite lines and dramatic angles in an attempt to manifest the universal language of number and create an unsettling sense of movement.
To achieve these effects she uses heavily grogged clay that allows her to work on a large scale and utilise relatively thick surfaces to carve to the desired depth. Halima concentrates on simple forms as the basis of her work in order to maximise the impact of the complex surface patterns in combination with heavily contrasting contours.
This approach provides her with the tools to create the compelling drama and playful dynamism that characterises her work.
