My Paintings
I am a Pakistani born artist living in Flatbush, Brooklyn.
My paintings, in acrylic and watercolor, represent mostly images of my country.
In an era where media discourse has contributed heavily to the establishment of
a one-dimensional worldview of Pakistan, my work represents the deliberate
omissions and gaps in such discourse. My paintings focus on celebrations,
dance, labor, village scenes, traditional men playing non-traditional roles,
and everyday ordinary life. Such images play a strong role in informing
individuals of other realities existing in my country that are not portrayed by
the media. In a sense my work has the dual purpose of giving expression and
subjectivity to the invisible, and subverting the dominant order to recreate
our own heritage through our own voices. Also see
http://flatbushartists.org/JessicaDias.htm
My Mosaics
My mosaic murals represent the transcending of boundaries
for me. These murals are made out of broken plates, mirror, tile and flat
marbles that are purchased mostly from stores in New York City, online from
Brazil, Morocco, and China, and from trips to Mexico, Belgium, Paris, the
Netherlands, Rome and Pakistan.
Each mural is unique and virtually impossible to reproduce. Parts of my culture
are very visible in my work; small pieces of mirror, for example, are used in
much of Pakistani handcraft. The rest is a combination of things, places,
people, and ideas. I take great joy in creating these murals, and am happy and eager
to share my work with everyone, both in the arts and non-arts world. Also see: www.mosaicmurals.freehosting.net
My Illustrations
I have made these illustrations for short stories that I
write. Most of my stories are couched in fantasy but deal with real issues like
environmental degradation, race, class, poverty, and the impact of war on
families. Also see: www.myspace.com/myillustrations