Maryam Arif is a self taught photographer, based in Lahore, Pakistan. Her approach is aimed at exploring cultural similarities and differences along with an attempt to dissect the world from an individual's point of view. When asked about her style of work, she answered "My work resonates with my life principles and is a strong depiction of myself as an individual. This medium has given me a way to express myself and to showcase the world through my eyes…full of love, happiness, and serenity. The one thing that inspires me most in my work is ‘light’. I love the way light can change the feel and perspective of something simple and mundane into something extraordinary and magical. My approach is about self-discovery and my work pertains to the individual’s experience—hence, the narrative I build in my work is universal. People in this world share common traits and perspectives about the world at large. Therefore, I believe people all over the world can identify with the ideas and concepts I bring forth through my work. When I travel to other countries, I get a chance to observe and compare different viewpoints and perspectives. A lot of my visual experiences are in terms of the cultural differences I observe, which inadvertently plays a role in the concepts I develop. So in a way, my work is a cross-cultural study.
In my recent body of work, i have started fragmenting reality into smaller bits, it’s almost like you start to fragment life bit by bit. Eventually the subject matter becomes dissociated from its surrounding—i.e it does not seem to be a part of the environment it's placed in, even though it is a part of it. It’s not like I have added or deleted them from the image; they are a part of it, but in a disassociated way."
In my recent body of work, i have started fragmenting reality into smaller bits, it’s almost like you start to fragment life bit by bit. Eventually the subject matter becomes dissociated from its surrounding—i.e it does not seem to be a part of the environment it's placed in, even though it is a part of it. It’s not like I have added or deleted them from the image; they are a part of it, but in a disassociated way."
More info: www.maryamarif.com
