Gul-e-lalah

The focus of this painting are three burqah which merge into the patterned background, the folds of the fabric only just noticeable. In sharp contrast are the bright red openings to the garment which draw the viewer into the painting.

The artist sees the female figure being hemmed in and constricted by her clothing and her surroundings. At the same time there is a pleasing rhythm to the pattern. The painting is one of a series with the same title which translated means ‘Tulip –flower’. Both the burqah and the tulip have been a recurring theme in Aisha’s work since her stay in Amsterdam in 2001-2, the tulip being more visible in some of the other paintings of this series.