Fine Art photography is a genre of art that is notoriously hard to master. Caught between a painterly ethic and an intent to expose truth, most practitioners falter and produce work that seems inauthentic. The artist/photographer Soofia Mahmood is free of such travails for her work is richly and profoundly emotive. Her images feature  mostly women as subjects and are often unutterably dark yet beautiful. Each image is a meditation on the possibilities of freedom and of the profound vulnerability of women in our society. In some of her work, she has used her own figure as a motif to confront the power and irresolution of societal impulses. A photograph that embodies most of her themes is entitled People I met, which  presents a crystalline background with a twine of butterflies in the foreground of the image. These winged creatures have been captured in motion yet are transfixed by an impossible ennui, an impossible stillness. This dichotomy of captivity and release, finds expression in most of her corpus of work. Soofia tells Afshan Shafi about her metaphorical and unnerving collection of images
How long has photography been a hobby and career of yours and what motivated you to get started?
I bought my first camera in 2009. I had left my corporate career in Karachi, my hometown, to be a trailing spouse to my then husband and had followed him to Lahore. Being without work, friends and connections, I found the space to breathe, which initially was scary and depressing. Unfamiliarity in one’s environment tends to make you a little disoriented until you realize that you can survive and even thrive in new circumstances. So I decided to explore my childhood dream of being an artist instead of looking for a job, as we were there for only six months. The confusion in my life helped me approach photography neither as a hobby nor a career, which was wonderful. I did not make a transaction with art. I just developed an unconditional relationship with the camera. It changed me and my life in a way I never anticipated.
I did not make a transaction with art. I just developed an unconditional relationship with the camera. Â It changed me and my life in a way I never anticipated
When did you start taking photos? What made you decide to explore photography as a means of artistic expression?
I started taking photos right after I studied the DSLR (digital single-lens reflex camera) menu. My daughter was 3 years old at that time, so she was often my subject. I had the luxury of a chauffeur driven car at that time and Lahore was new to me. The driver we had was the most interesting Lahori character that I have ever met. He saw me fiddling with the camera in the lawn and told me that if I wanted to take photos of the city, he could take me to interesting places. With him, I got out of my sheltered cocoon. We went to akharhaas (local wrestler’s gyms) in old Lahore where his friendship with pehlwans (wrestlers) allowed a woman to step inside and photograph them. I went to a small, dark house where they were making kites illegally for basant. I went to the farthest corner of the canal and to Heera Mandi (Lahore’s historic red light district). A series started to develop. I called it Romancing Lahore. A pair of red heels bought from the Landaa Bazaar (thrift market) that he had taken me to travelled with us everywhere and was a prop in all my Lahore photos. They were not brilliant photographs as I was just learning the skill, but naturally I was drawn to concepts and props from the start. Just taking photos of the scenes around me was not satisfying for me. I added how I connected to the scene. The red heels with two pehlwans fighting in the background put me in the picture, discovering Lahore. This was much before I started doing self-portraiture. I did not plan anything, which was the beauty of it all, and it led me to explore photography as a medium of art and not documentation.
Who are your favourite photographers and what influence have they had upon your work?
I don’t really have favourite photographers. Photography as a medium of art is not that developed and remains largely shallow. I do have some favourite artists that inspire me. I am in love with Salvador Dali. His work is brilliant, but more so, his entire being embodied his art. His eccentricity depicts the fearlessness one needs to produce crude, crass and bold work that speaks the truth on so many levels and is not visible to many. I enjoyed the photographic series Philippe Halsman created in collaboration, Dali Atomicus. I also enjoy the still and moving work of Shireen Nishaat as the subject of her work is close to my heart.
Do you think talent for photography is something a person is born with?
I think every human being is born with the innate capacity to see life from a unique perspective. It is that perspective that is important to be artist of any medium. Over time, one’s life experiences either make you deepen that perspective or lose it entirely. Anyone can learn the skills. Everyone cannot have the sight. Photography especially is much easier to learn than any other medium. In this digital age, all you need is a DSLR and a Facebook page to call yourself a photographer. On the one hand, it is wonderful to see how this medium is accessible. On the other, it is diluting the possibility of photography being considered ‘art’ seriously. It is so easy to be lost in the romance of gadgetry that I feel this medium as a form of art does not get the respect, love, depth and hard work it deserves.
I have fought so much that I left a marriage, wrote articles after articles against the Sharia law, shaved my head, always wore clothes considered inappropriate and said things not suitable by the social standards
Where do you get your ideas? What predominant themes do you explore in your work?
My work is all about me: my emotions, life experiences, my skeletons in the closet, my beauty, my ugliness, my opinions and my truth. My self-portraiture journey started when I decided to leave my first husband. I used the medium to admit my raw emotions to myself to begin with and give them a representation in the form of light. When people started connecting with me to share with me how my work is impacting them, that is when I decided to continue to work and that my opinions and emotions matter to others.
The irony of organized religion, or the way a woman is perceived by herself and the society are themes often depicted in my work. These ideas are not coming from an ‘activist’ mindset. These are coming from my personal conflicts, experiences and situations I have dealt with and am still dealing with.
What do you feel is the most challenging thing about photographing what you do?
Being in front of the camera is the most challenging part of my work. I do not like being photographed generally. The only reason I started doing self-portraiture was because I was doing an art residency in Thailand, where I was again as a trailing spouse. I was given a tiny studio with glass walls to work in. It was an aquarium where people could watch you create your work. I had an emotion, leading to an idea and I had me, so I initiated. Over time, as the series developed, I started feeling differently in front of the camera. I wasn’t me; I was an idea, a concept and a subject. The challenging part is, it limits me sometimes in certain concepts (if only I was a contortionist). It has also spoiled me, as I am now used to working alone being behind and in front of the camera at the same time for so long.
Your work tackles issues of an overtly feminist nature. Please tell us more about your work in this regard and the response which these pieces have received.
I am a woman; I am a woman rebellious by Pakistani standards. I fought my family as a young girl, the society when I stepped out of the house, and all the stereotypes that have come my way. I have fought so much that I left a marriage, wrote articles after articles against the Sharia law, shaved my head, always wore clothes considered inappropriate and said things not suitable by social standards. I have fought so much that I am tired. The only fight left in me now is to express my opinions in my art without any fear of judgment.
I am a human being free of imposed gender standards and I do not accept any other treatment from the law or the society. That is what my work is about.
I have received mixed responses. From women, I receive mostly positive responses. Even if they cannot articulate their opinion, they bond with me over my work, like they know, and they agree, but won’t say it. I have received lecherous comments from men and colleagues, who thought my work invited men to harass me, especially when I was a single mother. I have received threats for being inappropriate. I have received love and commendation from people I respect and adore. It has been amazing in all honesty.
What work do you do on your photos to achieve the dark effect that so many of your fine art photos have?
I chuckled a bit after reading this question. I love to play with light. Most of my work is done with artificial lighting because I can control it to achieve the strong contrast that is my style. A lot of people assume that my work is the product of digital manipulation. It is not usually, unless the concept is designed that way. For me the thrill of the craft is creating a photograph with lights. Post production is a process that you use according to your concept. The raw product has to be well thought out and planned for it to go through the desired post process and deliver on its intent.
If you could photograph anyone in the world, without limitations, who would you choose and how would you shoot them?
I would love to photograph people with multiple personality disorders. I would give their multiple personalities tangible depictions. I would show the interaction of their multiple personalities with each other and with the world.
I would love to photograph the jhallee (homeless) woman who used to roam the streets of Islamabad and ate from the same bowl as the stray dogs that surrounded her.
I would love to photograph any woman who is willing to depict her truth without definition of the society or religion. Anyone who would risk breaking stereotypes self-imposed or otherwise and allows me to create her alternate reality.
Please tell us how you were inspired to create your latest work?
I have recently immigrated to Canada, after fighting with the system for making me my daughter’s legal guardian. I gave up on Pakistan and left. Here, I am struggling financially and emotionally without any reference to my history. My latest work is about surviving this phase and dealing with the emotions as a new immigrant. It is called Project Small as I am living in a tiny studio apartment with my daughter and husband. I do not have any props or studio gear or the money to afford it. After struggling for a few months, I decided to start creating work in the same small living space with no additional cost on props. The work is a mix so far from being about the mundane, which as an immigrant is also a novelty in the new environment, to being about much deeper self-introspection. Some pieces are just angry retorts to the stereotypes I come across, mostly from the Pakistani community based here. I hope in the coming months, it would take some direction, depending on where life takes me.
What are a few pieces of advice you find yourself offering most frequently to aspiring or emerging photographers?
Connect your craft to yourself and give the medium the respect any artist would give to his/her tools. And don’t just take photos, make them.
If you had to pick one series as your favourite, which would it be and why?
Forgive Me is my favorite series to date. It reflects a major turning point in my life when I relinquished the guilt I was still carrying as a woman, the guilt of being a bad wife who left, the guilt of being a bad mother for leaving her father, the guilt of being a bad Muslim for not agreeing to abide, the guilt of not being thin enough, or young enough or beautiful enough, the guilt of not being a man. It was a heavy burden that would make me second guess myself often and depicted my own hypocrisy of fighting for my rights while feeling guilty at the same time. I let go and that series represents that. Everyone changes with time, but some changes are more drastic. This one was a drastic change that made me different, a different that I finally liked.
Kashf Foundation, Pakistan’s premier wealth management company for low income households, was created with the aim to alleviate poverty by providing a suite of high quality affordable financial and non-financial services to low income households, especially women, to build their capacity and enhance their economic role. Under the leadership of founder Roshaneh Zafar, it has gone from strength to strength and has now branched out into television production for social change. Udaari (To Fly) is their latest Pakistani drama serial that airs on Hum TV. It is written by Farhat Ishtiaq, and co-created and co-produced by Momina Duraid under the production banner of Momina Duraid Productions and Kashf Foundation. It stars Urwa Hocane, Farhan Saeed, Bushra Ansari, Samiya Mumtaz, Maryam Fatima, Rehan Sheikh and Ahsan Khan. Udaari focuses on the social and economic marginalization of women in Pakistani society, while also highlighting deeply rooted problems such as child labour and rape, in order to break the myths and taboos around these issues by providing solutions. Roshaneh and Bushra tell Afshan Shafi more about their deeply impactful initiative
Roshaneh Zafar
Please tell us more about Udaari and your ideas behind this initiative.
Kashf has been working for the empowerment of women from low-income households for the past two decades and social advocacy is a major component of our work. Using television to change mind-sets and promote behavior change has proven to be very effective across the world, especially in Latin America and Africa.
Udaari is actually our second television production, in 2012 we collaborated with MD Productions to produce and air Rehaii which was also an issue based drama tackling the sensitive issue of child marriage and violence against women. The idea for Udaari came to me after the tragic incident on mass scale child abuse in Kasur in November last year. Child sexual abuse is unfortunately a rampant problem across the world, but in Pakistan the situation is much worse since talking about it is a social taboo and such cases are generally brushed under the carpet. I discussed my ideas with Momina Duraid from MD Productions and we were lucky to have the Government of Canada support us in this venture. Momina and I then got Farhat [Ishtiaq] Sultana [Siddiqui] Apa and Ehtisham [Uddin] on board, fast forward a few months and Udaari was ready to go on air.
The idea for Udaari came to me after the tragic incident, mass scale child abuse in Kasur in November last year
I think Sultana Apa is doing a great job promoting womens’ issues and giving programming space to women on Hum TV. Ehtisham has also expertly directed the show and all the elements have come together very well.
What impact do televised narratives on social issues have for the public at large? How does this method of creating awareness improve upon existing measures?
Televised narratives can be key in influencing changes in society, take for example our first television production Rehaii. Rehaii received a lot of critical acclaim and encouraged more discussions and debate on the issues we took up in the show related to child marriage, almost 30% of marriages in Pakistan are below the age of 15 years. These debates helped put in place legislation at the provincial level in Sindh and a provincial law was introduced in 2013, which has set the legal age of marriage at 18.
What issues highlighted in the play are particularly moving for you?
As I mentioned earlier, I was aghast when I heard about the Kasur incident of mass scale child sexual abuse. I have been involved in creating awareness about child sexual abuse (CSA) for the past two decades, so for me child sexual abuse is not a new topic. Data tells us that 44% of CSA cases happen indoors, of which 32% take place in the victim’s own home and 41% at residences of known individuals. For me that statistic alone is a complete shock, for it identifies that children are not safe in their own homes or from their own relatives or acquaintances. In Udaari we have raised this point, in order to educate parents across the country that they need to teach children about their own safety. Most importantly parents need to have a trust based relationship with their children, while preparing them to identify potentially dangerous situations. For example, not only have I talked to my 3 ½ year old about parts of the body that no one can touch, but I have also inculcated in her the concept of playing with children her own age. These are simple steps that can go a long way in helping the child be more prepared.
What attitudes amongst the urban populace in particular impede the progress of women across the board?
Societal attitudes are influenced by long term patriarchal values and gender stereotyping, which affect womens lives in multiple ways; even in educated elite circles of our society the birth of a son is celebrated more than the birth of a daughter, while choosing educational institutes and careers there are pre-conceived ideas regarding what is ‘right’ for women. Those who make it to the workplace often have to face harassment and hit glass ceilings beyond which they cannot grow. Overall, I feel as a society we are not teaching our children the right values of respect, tolerance and space whether it is in the context of women’s development or other disadvantaged groups. The need now is to put mentorship programs, public service messages, and support networks in place so that these girls can actually enter (and stay) within the work-force.
In your experience do you think that rural attitudes towards woman orientated issues are changing or do you think that there is still an unwillingness?
There is always an unwillingness to change the status quo – in the case of women’s empowerment there is a large paradox because you are asking those in control (the men) to give up their power and promote women. In both the urban and rural areas, large scale systemic changes are needed to give women more space and voice which do not seem to be happening at the required pace. That said, small efforts and single institutions are making large impact at a limited level. Take for example Kashf, which has empowered over 1,200,000 women through microcredit and capacity building interventions to set up their own small businesses and change their lives, earn higher incomes, become more mobile, build their social and physical capital.  Not only that, once these women become major contributors to the income in their families, they are able to extend their economic agency and able to invest in the future of their families by educating their children.
Who is your favorite character from the show and why?
My favorite character in the show is Sheedan who is played by Bushra Ansari. I like this character because she’s a fierce and strong woman who is a go-getter. Despite being born in a poor household, she is proud of her family and heritage and works hard to provide for her family. She is also always ready to support others. Moreover, she is very direct and calls it like she sees it. When the character was conceived I was convinced only Bushra [Ansari] Apa could do justice to it and she has proved us right a million times over. Bushra Apa is a versatile and phenomenal actor and has done a stupendous job playing Sheedan.
I am also very fond of Iqbal, her brother, I am not sure if you have noticed his character is supposed to be trans-gender. Unfortunately in our society we have now relegated transgender people to begging, while traditionally they were the entertainers, the singers and the stand up comedians of our society. The purpose of Udaari is also to emphasize dignity of work, the importance of self-worth and the need to be tolerant of those who don’t fit pre-defined social constructs.
Please tell us more about the writers behind the show and how you communicated your vision to them.
The TV show is written by Farhat Ishtiaq who needs no introduction. Having penned down many famous novels she became very popular after the success of Hum Safar, which she also wrote. Farhat also worked on the script for Rehaii, and there was just no question in our minds about who to ask to pen down our second TV show. She is a bold and sensitive writer who captures emotions and struggles very well. For Udaari we collected stories of child sexual abuse from our clients and shared them with Farhat so she could use them for inspiration and character development, while Momina Duraid who is our co-creator par excellence and who brings oodles of experience in drama and plot development put together the entire canvas of the play for us. In other words, we had Kashf’s real life experience and contextual understanding, Farhat’s sensitivity and keen understanding of human emotions and Momina’s creativity and ingenuity, which led to the final concept and script for Udaari.
What feedback have you received from viewers about the show and how do you think it will benefit Kashf’s future projects?
The response has been phenomenal! Everyone who has seen the show has loved it and praised the actors, story-line, direction, and contextualization. The TRP ratings have also showed that Udaari is outperforming other shows by as significant margin till now. We are hopeful the social messages in the show will also be taken well and will help change people’s mind-sets and behaviors.
Bushra Ansari
Please tell us more initial involvement with Kashf and its initiative Udaari in particular.
Like any other sensible Pakistani who wants Pakistan to progress I support Kashf Foundation and its work. In fact I had heard about the work being done in Bangladesh on micro-banking and had always wished that some one would start it in Pakistan; I was very glad to have found out very soon after that Kashf was offering similar services to the women of Pakistan.
Do you think that film and television have the power to affect real change? why do you think these are such effective mediums?
Watching the show will help a lot of people recognize how their surroundings are impacting them. Even a simple minded woman from a village or an innocent young girl can be cautious and aware that even a close relative can harm her. The strength of the show is that it takes up these important but taboo subjects in an approachable and relatable manner.
What issues highlighted in the show do you think concern women across Pakistan?
Udaari takes on multiple issues: one of the main issues is child sexual abuse, another is that of disrespect for miraasi (singing and dancing) communities. Musicians and performers at weddings are working very hard to entertain and amuse people and it makes sense to remunerate them for their work. It is very wrong of people to think that they are dishonorable people; it’s a big misconception. Udaari shows these performers in a very positive light and propagates respect for them.
I would very much like to take up the issues of Christian and Hindu communities and propagate messages of inter-faith harmony and tolerance
Udaari shows the life and struggles of a simple village woman and her vulnerability, but what is different is that it also shows how the simple village woman can get empowered and raise her voice in the face of exploitation. The drama very beautifully brings all these factors together. It’s a good shift for dramas also to go beyond the mundane saas/bahu (mother in law/daughter in law) storylines to content that can actually influence societal change.
What attitudes amongst the urban populace in particular impede the progress of women across the board?
Unfortunately we cannot talk about minorities, which is another very sensitive issue, but due to security threats/constraints we cannot take up these issues even if we want to take them up. I would very much like to take up the issues of Christian and Hindu communities and propagate messages of inter-faith harmony and tolerance.
Please tell us more about your character Sheedan in the show and why you find her interesting?
Playing Sheedan has been a very fulfilling experience for me since it is a unique and interesting character. Contrary to a lot of women on TV today, Sheedan is a brave woman and a fighter. She’s a sensitive and loving woman, but she is also very blunt and straightforward, frankly saying things the way she sees them. She is also helpful to others around her and is ready to lend a helping hand when needed. I can’t really reveal the story but playing Sheedan was a really good experience because of the character. Moreover, music is very close my heart so any story that allows me to perform and sing while in character is always very enjoyable for me.
Which other character in the show is your favorite or someone you find particularly thought provoking?
Everyone has done a good job in Udaari, I think Ahsan Khan has really taken a bold step by taking on a negative character in the play. He has always worked more as the ‘chocolate hero’ on TV and films and I think this was not an easy decision for him. Sammiya Mumtaz who is also in the drama has as usual given a stellar performance and made her acting look completely effort-less.
The show has also brought forward lots of young and new talent; Urwa Hocane is playing a completely different character from her previous roles and it has been a big change for Urwa who is a complete city girl. Urwa has really come out of her comfort zone to play Meeran’s character and gone and lived in the village for days during the shooting. Farhan Saeed has also done a good job, he’s more known as a singer but he is now also proving himself as an actor. Another new face is Malika who has also done a very good work and her acting is very natural. Aqeel who plays my brother has also done a good job, especially with his dialect.
Do you think wider change is afloat for women in Pakistan? Please elaborate on why you agree or disagree with this statement.
In the context of improving women’s conditions, the need of the hour is to change the mindsets of society at large, including both men and women. Educating and making women aware is very important because as mothers women can give better values to their sons. Women have a big role in shaping their son’s mindsets and thinking and women need to make them more gender sensitized, to encourage them to help out inside the house and respect women. This is pivotal in changing the future of this country.
In Udaari, we have touched on only a few issues there are much more dreadful issues in society which need to be taken up. In the context of women there are many other issues such as watta satta (inter-family marriage), waani, inheritance issues, second marriages, rape and acid attacks that need to be taken up. And while these issues are not Pakistan specific, we need to bring them forward to create debate and discussion and change mind-sets around these issues. We need to continue to stay involved and bring issues to the fore to play our part in augmenting change around us.
