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    In Conversation with Umair Anwar, Winner of the International Emerging Artist Award in Dubai

    Umair Anwar, Winner of the International Emerging Artist Award in Dubai

    Written by: Fareeha Shah
    Posted on: May 31, 2016 | | 中文

    'Blink' won Umair Anwar the 4th International Emerging Artist Award at World Art Dubai

    Idiosyncratic and instantly curious, Umair Anwar greets me warmly and settles into his seat. He is a multi-talented graphic designer and artist from Lahore, who very recently won the 4th International Emerging Artist Award under the category of ‘New Media Artist’ at World Art Dubai. One might expect an individual met with sudden recognition on an international platform to behave differently, but Anwar remains humble, keen and fully engaged in the conversation that takes place.

    “Design needs to serve a purpose. It can’t be based merely on your liking for something”, says Anwar. “If it’s a message, you need to know which audience you are talking to, and your design needs to connect with that audience.”

    Umair Anwar graduated valedictorian from the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture in 2005 with a degree in Communication Design. “I’ve been drawing since I was a child,” says Anwar, settling into his seat. “I used to take part in a lot of competitions in school and even in the Punjab Textbook Board, and I would end up winning most of them. How I got into design, though, is another story. My older brother studied at NCA; he’s a graphic designer too. I used to observe him working on his assignments, which I found fascinating. When he wasn’t there, I would open his files and mess around with his things. That was how I first discovered my passion for design.”

    Umair Anwar, Winner of the International Emerging Artist Award in Dubai

    'Man on a Bike'

    Before emerging as an independent artist, Anwar was met with commercial success, working as a Creative Director for Coca-Cola. His projects include working with renowned brands such as Coke Studio, Sprite and Minute Maid, and he is currently the Creative Director at Ogilvy & Mather, Pakistan. He hopes to expand his art through the rapidly developing medium of the GIF. But when did he first identify himself as an artist, and realise that he wished to take his work beyond the commercial realm? “There was this void that started building inside. We used to work day and night on brands, on very goal-oriented projects. That developed a void in me, which I needed to fill with something that I could truly express myself with.”

    Umair Anwar, Winner of the International Emerging Artist Award in Dubai

    'Handful'

    The Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) is a relatively new medium when it comes to expressing oneself as an artist. Some people believe that stories are told most effectively through movies; others think they can only be told through words. But a GIF is a kind of liminal medium. “I love the fact that they (GIFs) are infinite. I love that they are not defined by time. They keep on playing perpetually, and there is something magical about that. It’s like throwing something in the universe – and letting it float. I’ve been illustrating for quite some time now, and my work has evolved into the GIF. One day I would love to create an animated movie – but at this point, GIFs are the most convenient because I can animate them on my own and create original content.”

    Umair Anwar, Winner of the International Emerging Artist Award in Dubai

    'Mindscapes'

    Having won such a prestigious international award, one might assume that Anwar had been illustrating with the GIF for several years. Surprisingly, that is not the case. “It was actually quite funny because it was my first ever experience entering into the world of art, and I ended up winning this pretty huge competition. It was a big surprise. The director of this event called to inform me that I had won, and I was like, “Are you kidding me? This can’t be happening!” I won under the ‘New Media’ category – and this is where my GIFs came in. We see them all around: on various websites, on Facebook; people are always sharing them. I felt that it’s very current, and it’s being used a lot on social media, so I decided to adopt it as a medium.”

    Umair Anwar, Winner of the International Emerging Artist Award in Dubai

    Umair Anwar (right) stands with the winners of the 4th International Emerging Artist Award

    Anwar’s website mentions that he has always “wanted to connect with the viewer without any barriers of social or political context, but rather on a rational level of every human being living in the glo-cal (global and local) world of today.” When asked about his conception of the fundamental human nature that unites people across geographical borders, Anwar replies, “Having been a part of the commercial side where we make campaigns for everyone, I just feel that there is a fundamental thread that connects anyone and everyone across the globe, in the same way that numerous brands are in demand all over the world. For instance, people in every part of the world enjoy watching the sunset every day. Or certain jokes have universal appeal, in that people from all parts of the world can relate to them. That’s how I feel my work ought to be – I try to create art that would resonate with everyone, no matter where they come from.”

    Umair Anwar, Winner of the International Emerging Artist Award in Dubai

    Umair Anwar with his artwork on display at World Art Dubai

    Umair Anwar concludes the conversation by providing an insight into the kind of work that he wishes to produce. “I just want to create something that would make people feel good. I don’t want to make anything morbid; there is enough morbidity in the world as it is. I want to create something whimsical and magical that can make people go, “How did I miss that?” or “Oh, that’s interesting!” Many people at World Art Dubai ended up recording my GIF. It made them smile. I spotted a 3-year-old girl gazing at it, perhaps relating to it in her own way. So yeah, that’s the kind of work that I want to produce.”


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021