Sketch Artist: Yasar Abdur Rahman

It has been one of our aims to showcase student artists on Jamia Journal.

And today, keeping in with our goal, we introduce an amateur artist who practices the art of sketching as a hobby.

Yasar Abdur Rahman is a graduate student in the department of civil engineering.

Jamia Journal spoke to Yasar online. Following is our conversation.

Jamia Journal: Before I ask you about your art Yasar, tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? When and how did you join Jamia?

Yasar: My father is among some of the earliest settlers in Delhi, bread and butter being the predominant reason for migrating from Ranchi. After moving to Delhi, he got a job in Jamia. And after a long hiatus he was blessed with a baby boy, which was me.

My parents sent me to Mushir Fatima Nursery School in Jamia. It’s been 19 years since and still counting.

Jamia Journal: OK. Now tell us about your art. How did you start?

Yasar: I remember when I was in second standard, my mom bought me a sketch book which had a photograph of a small child on the front, working on his chef d’oeuvre. Somehow, that photograph influenced my wetware so much that it itself became the premier for the sketch book, or for that matter, for all the other drawings back in the atelier till now.

After that I drew everything from a pin to a plane and wish to keep it going. I keep on working on the same drawing, amending it or even giving unnecessary strokes till the pencil disappears.

I have always been a die hard fan of the likes of Hussein Behzad in particular who devoted his whole life to painting, even after he pierced his eyes so that he paints everything by memory.

Jamia Journal: All right. Now tell us about your sketches?

Yasar: The “Kofi Annan” sketch was made during a jejune lecture in college and is dedicated to all backbenchers.

“The Dancing Gypsy Girl” was inspired by the cover of a book titled “The Gypsy Summer” by Welma Yeo. It was made in a state of ecstasy while listening to the song “I’m a Gypsy” by Shakira. And it’s dedicated to the girl I love.

The motivation behind “The Phenomenon Called Rajnikant” is Rajnikant himself. I see him as a person with a large head mounted on tiny shoulders with fat hair on top. This one is dedicated to the universe.