Jamshoro
My first day back in Jamshoro was interesting.
My first day back in Jamshoro was interesting. The kind staff of the hostel I am put up in made me a paratha and omelette for breakfast. I had my first chai of the day with it. There’s no internet here, so I’m just writing blog posts that I can upload later. The hostel is up a hill, surrounded by some homes and several girl’s hostels for universities in the area. There’s dirt and rocks all around, with bits of green and plastic bags and refuse. There are packs of wandering stray dogs, that leave well enough alone during the day, but at night, I wouldn’t walk here.
I waited a while, doing this and that in my room, before heading down to the Institute of Sindhology. I walked into the library and asked the staff if they had any books on puppetry. They said, I have chosen a difficult subject. There really wasn’t anything on that, particularly in relation to Sindh. I asked them to check on a book by an incredible illustrator named Akbar Soomro. He had created two illustrated books that I know of, on the poetry of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai (upon whose work my puppet film “Risalo” will be based). I knew about them because I had them send to me from the Berkeley Library years ago. Over the years, I barely managed to find the color one he created at the end of his career. The little black and white one he created at the beginning was not to be found. They didn’t have it at the library either. This is a huge problem in a society either can’t afford books, and or does not purchase them. Akbar Soomro was a great illustrator who created these labors of love at his own expense and was unable to recoup the costs. His books are treasures, that should be reissued and sent around the world. I had the opportunity to see one of his original paintings when visiting his family years ago, long after his passing. I hope to do so again and take some steps towards realizing some kind of positive effort in this regards.I visited the audio library where I plan to do some research for “Risalo” once I get the necessary approvals. I walked through the beautiful Sindhology museum, which is as usual very accessible to the people whose culture it represents. I picked up a CD of Sur Kalyan, the first in a series on the verses of Shah Latif, recorded by Sindhology with the incredible voice of the late ______.There was a bit of a mixup in terms of where I was and where I needed to go, but the staff at the hostel helped get me to Naimatullah sahib at the Arts Department of Sindh University. We worked out the details of a series of workshops I will conduct with their students, and he worked on the necessary paperwork for my stay and the sessions. I really appreciate the opportunity to share with these students and the efforts of my friends to make it possible.We were joined by Mangi sahib at Naimatullah sahibs home for a delicious home cooked meal with daal, eggplant and chicken. I certainly was not shy about eating. By this point, I think I had about 4 cups of chai between breakfast, office visits and lunch. I really appreciate that these two friends take time out of what is a really demanding schedule, dealing with all manner of administrative tasks to make sure I’m well fed, and cared for.They dropped me back at the hostel and I got some rest. I woke up and did a bit of editing on “Risalo”. I made a bunch of calls, set up some meetings and listened to some Sindhi music recordings that I have set aside as research. The sun had gone down, and I thought I’d go out and do some long exposure photography tests of the stars. I was listening to some of Abida Parveen’s renditions of Sindhi poetry, and a good half an hour passed before I could wrestle myself away from the sublime beauty of her music and go out to do some work.I pointed the camera up at the sky and played around with different settings on the camera. I’m glad I picked up the camera remote, as that helped keep things more stable when I used bulb exposures which basically keeps the shutter open until you press the trigger a second time.Naimatullah sahib picked me up and we head over to his place again. This time I got to see more of his art in his garage studio. I’ve enjoyed his work in past visits, but had not seen these beautiful relief sculptures. I have never created fiber glass pieces before, so it was really interesting to learn a bit about his process. He sculpts the works in clay, sometimes from a references for portraits of incredibly straight in the clay, without any planning for some of the other pieces. His level of skill and artistic vision is evident in these beautiful story pieces. After the initial sculpt, he creates a plaster mold, then applies the fiberglass in the mold. It is a meticulous process that yields beautiful, resilient results. We discussed some ideas on how to get this work out into the world.After another wonderful home cooked meal (there is so much more variety to home cooked food than restaurant faire) and chai, Mangi sahib took me to Najib sahib’s home again. I needed to send a few emails. Najeebullah Rashdi sahib had been curious about my short film “Gul”, so I gave him a DVD of it along with the Girnari Jogi Group album. He showed me a beautiful short film that he had created based around the them of a young girl’s desire for education. There was no dialogue and the pacing was very slow and serene, yet I was completely transfixed by it. Each shot was beautifully composed using the natural landscape of Sindh, along with traditional mud homes and a ramshackle abandoned building.
In addition to that, I got to see some of his sketch books drawings. Besides being a talented filmmaker, he is also an excellent cartoonist. I am truly humbled and amazed by the quality of these artists. It’s really fun to share art. They are so gracious and kind towards my efforts to incorporate Sindhi culture in fresh ways that I know would not be possible without the warm welcome and support that I have always received here. These projects are still a big challenge, and there are many times during the process where I wonder what madness compelled me to think I could pull this stuff off, but these projects, the stories of each person I share along the way and the effort to support and invigorate culture make them something priceless to me. That the people who have helped me, feel good about what I have done, is appreciated beyond words.
Department of Culture, Sindh
I stayed the night at the Department Culture of Sindh. I spent the morning editing Phool Patti interviews and the “Risalo” animatic. Every decision to cut out a line of poetry, where two lines are too similar in meaning, opens up the edit to allow music to come in more and gives more weight to the words that remain.
During the day, a Jogi named Gulab Jogi, who lives in Bhitshah, Shah Latin’s town, happened to drop by. We talked for a while and I asked him a bit about how Jogis travel. He showed me a photo album of his many travels and meetings with various dignitaries, dancers and artists from around the world. He was a really jovial and friendly person. He clearly has a deep love of his culture, which he enjoys sharing with people.He shared a geedar sing and hatta jori with us. The geedar singh is removed from a geedar and used for protection. He emphasized the the geedar is not killed during this process. The hatta jori is a sort of dried root that becomes hard and somewhat bone like.I got his card and will likely visit him in Bhitshah as I search for puppeteers in Sindh. After that, we took a few photos and he was on his way. My friend Ali Salman Anchal of Phool Patti dropped by with some of my luggage. I said goodbye to Muhammed Ghulam who had woken up and driven with Ali through crazy traffic at a moment’s notice to get me the night I arrived in Karachi. There are some interesting new collaborations in the works thanks to all of these meetings. I hope to share more when they bear fruit.After that, the kind people at the Department of Culture dropped me at the bus station, from where I hopped on a coaster for Jamshoro. The ride took a while, but it was interesting to see the variety of vendors that would pop on and off the bus to offer their wares. There were the perfume guys that had their pitch down who invited people to test out the perfume for free, then proceeded to walk up and down the aisle and spray some cologne just above our heads. There’s a lot of clever wordplay and a particularly honed style of delivery for these pitches. It’s hard work jumping on a bus and hawking wares by delivering your pitch and just walking up and down, watching for any kind of interest in someone’s eyes and then hopping off, into a sea of chaos outside as the bus starts to leave.
People were selling egg burgers, spiced cucumbers, peanut brittle, chenna snacks, hats, kid’s clothes, cell chargers and covers, juice, soda, plastic light up toys etc. There were children and women who came aboard asking for alms, as they made their pitch for doing so to be rewarded for your good deeds and getting an opportunity to visit the holy city of Medina.
We stopped at a rest area for a bit to gather more passengers. The conductor went out and brought people aboard, as passengers went out to get pakoras, samosas and other snacks. Once on the highway, we passed a lot of petrol stands and restaurants along the way. It’s pretty crazy how these huge buses and trucks honk like mad men when passing each other while these little cars are nuts enough to weave around them.
Eventually I reached the Jamshoro stop. There are a ton of rickshaws there, waiting to take people further. I called up my friend Saeed Mangi, and he sent Shehzad sahib out with a car. I took some long exposures as I waited. It is quite dark out there, with only streaks of light from passing vehicles. It could be a very creepy place, but no one really bothered me. Drivers asked me if I needed a ride a few times, and when I said no, they went back to chatting with each other.
I settled into the room with campus housing, then Mangi sahib took me out to meet other art faculty and dinner. It was really great to see him again after several years. His kids have grown quite a bit in that time, and have no recollection of me whatsoever, but I certainly remember them. I enjoyed a delicious dinner of chicken karhai, but was left out of most of the conversation as the group was speaking in Sindhi instead of Urdu. I watched stray dogs mill about, as I scarfed down food and fended off mosquitos. I enjoy the sound of Sindhi. Like Punjabi, it has a beautiful flow and there’s a particular way that people connect words and blend them together. Also like Punjabi, it can be beautiful when it is used as such, and not so much in the way that some people speak in a sort of gutteral way. I’ve been working from a wonderful Urdu translation to adapt “Risalo” and look forward to recording the corresponding lines in their original Sindhi so that I can share this poetry that exemplifies the beauty of this language and its people.
The new assistant drops by
The new assistant drops by while I was editing.
Some days are slower than others. There's still a lot of work being done, but there's less to share in terms of stories. I've been waking up around 5am and getting in a good days work before breakfast. I shot some interviews with some of the Phool Patti team, that I'm editing, bit by bit. I've been refining the "Risalo" animatic, and continuing my research.
Fatima doing what she does from Adnan Hussain on Vimeo.
While I was editing, this little sweetheart came to visit. She waddled over to me while I was editing interviews. I picked her up and plopped her on the chair next to me. It was a fun morning seeing what silliness she's up to. The mornings are so quiet, and it's a great time to do some work and play with an unexpected assistant. Little Fatima is already picking up her father Haider's paint brushes. The kids have a way of taking me out of that rigid focus on work, and reminding me to sit back a bit and enjoy a silly moment.
Afterwards, Haider and Mumtaz took me to visit another group of Phool Patti artists. People are incredibly gracious. Everywhere you go, as always people offer you tea, or a soda, often both. The truck workshops are very rough around the edges, but the excellence in artistry shines through. This isn't work that people are just knocking out. There is so much care and pride put into every brushstroke.From there, we rode three on the motorcycle, with me in the back trailing a heavy backpack. I'm proud to say that I managed to stick to the seat with every muscle in my body over every bump and through each turn and every exciting near death experience. It's actually pretty exhilarating and incredible.We ended up at the Culture Tourism and Antiquities Department Government of Sindh to see my friend Fatah Daud Poto. He has been among a group of cherished friends who have made it possible for me to see these ideas of projects through. He was the one who initially connected me to the Girnari Jogi Group in the past, and once again, I find myself reaching out to this same group of friends, with a few additions each time, without whom none of what I do here would be possible. In return, I try to honor this gift by giving everything I can to create meaningful projects with this culture and to support and promote the practitioners of it, who graciously allow me to collaborate with them.
Yusuf Ghot Phool Patti
I went with Haider Ali and Mumtaz Ahmad to a place called Yusuf Ghot.
I went with Haider Ali and Mumtaz Ahmad to a place called Yusuf Ghot. A talented phool patti artist named Gulraiz Affridi who had apprenticed with Haider Ali was working on a tanker truck. Mumtaz bhai and a few other artists joined in to lend a hand. I got to watch and learn more about the process. Besides that, I came up with some concepts for one of the sequences for "Risalo" that I'll be exploring further.
It was a quiet day, just listening to the artists and taking mental notes. We rode past a long line of beautifully decorated trucks. It was like walking into a giant art gallery. Haider had me pose with the brush, though I wouldn't dare mess with their paint jobs. These guys do amazing things. Double and triple loading the brush, they can create beautiful flowers with a sweep of the hand. Even with such quick skills, it takes a team of artists painstaking days baking in the sun to create these masterpieces. They make it look easy because they are able to do such fine work almost entirely freehand. I love watching the process, as rich lines and color flow across these hulking trucks.I'm working out some details for the next step in this process.
Afterwards, we head back and I got to spend some quality time with Haider's sweet children. The two little ones are twins, and just about the most quiet, innocent kids you'll find. They look around innocently, waddling around, poking their paws into things they should not. The little girl is constantly giggling and climbing on things. The little boy just looks bewildered, while his older brother asks a lot of cute questions and walks around making sure they don't tumble down the stairs. Such a sweet older brother. I love how the little boy has a shirt that says dangerous across it under that vest. Can't ask for better company on this leg of the trip.
Maripur Hawk's Bay Rd Phool Patti
Maripur Hawk's Bay Rd Phool Patti with the masterful Phool Patti artists
Spending time with Haider Ali and Ali Salman Anchan has been really great. While I am certainly here to work on my puppet film "Risalo", there are a lot of interesting side excursions that are integral to my growth as well as the project at hand. I can't really do the work without immersing myself into being here and following these sort of side stories along the way. I'm still jet lagged and my sleep timings are all over the place, but I manage to stay awake through the day. As I write about things I am doing, there are a lot of other "Risalo" related developments that will be shared more so when something more substantial comes together.
I took a ride with Ali Salman Anchal and visited Haider Ali and the rest of the Phool Patti team at the Quaid-e-Azam International Truck Stand, Karachi. I got to see more of the process behind the work, which was really exciting for me. From purchasing paints and custom made brushes, to seeing a bit of the division of labor from undercoat to phool patti (which is the actual name of this art form people have termed truck art).
We're not far from Baluchistan here in Hawk's Bay, but still within Sindh. It has been really fascinating to meet Mumtaz Bhai, the creative director of Phool Patti (the company) and several other artists on the team. I was photographing one of their beautiful finished trucks from Baluchistan, when the proud owner of the vehicle came by and asked me to photograph him with it. I'm so glad that he did. People don't often realize the care and attention to detail that goes into this work. As an artist, it's quite clear to me, but often the general public thinks that like many "services", it is just a matter of throwing a bit of money at some people to get the job done for a pittance.
What they do not realize is the level of commitment, artistry and expertise that goes into creating these rich works of art. These are true masterpieces and I hope to do my part in getting the general public to see them as such. They are master artists, who rather than being hindered by some paltry college art education, live and breathe this stuff, and pour their souls into every piece they lay their brush upon.
Here's a little time-lapse of Haider Ali doing what he does. Note, this isn't a finished piece at the end of the clip.
First Day in Karachi
Sadquain at Frere Hall, Multan Lok Raqs Party and some puppets by Thespianz Theater.
Multan Lok Raqs Party from Adnan Hussain on Vimeo.
motorcycle ride in Karachi from Adnan Hussain on Vimeo.
Descending into Karachi
After months of working out logistics, waiting, wondering and struggling, I arrived in Karachi, Pakistan.
After months of working out logistics, waiting, wondering and struggling, I arrived in Karachi, Pakistan.
After a short jaunt around Abu Dhabi, my wife and I went our separate ways to work on our projects. I walked over to the gate for my flight to Karachi, and there were several elderly, world worn people sitting, squatting, lying down as I might see waiting for a train in Pakistan, with bundles and bags.
I thought about how beat down we are right now with all that's going on in Pakistan. I watched as people at an adjacent gate filed into buses to a flight to Bangalore, India.Our flight started boarding a while later, and we seemed like cattle herded into the bus to the plane. We reached the plane, yet the doors remained shut as we stared at the stairs leading to our ride home without a complaint.I fell asleep on the flight, came to in time to scarf down a meal, then watched the sunset along the wing of the plane, fade into darkness as we descend into Karachi.
Passengers scrambled off the plane. I walked down long corridors. A tiny, hunched over elderly woman winced in pain, struggling to keep up with her ragged group that was far ahead of her. I looked at her, then the standing people mover. I asked if I could hold her bag as her group moved further. I helped her fearfully step on the conveyer, with her bag in my hand. She was exhausted.I ran back up the escalator as she stood frozen crying "Man dar lagda ai" ( I'm afraid) before I coaxed her into stepping on.I left her and the bag with her group. She gasped prayers for my successes as we parted.I stood in line at immigration. An old bearded man and his incredibly aged mother, blind in one eye, barely holding on to her cane, elbowed past me to the counter. I didn't care. I waited and watched as the woman collapsed in a bundle, as paperwork was processed. As the immigration officer did his job without favoritism, but never made the poor, exhausted woman get up. He checked what he needed and sent them on their way.The immigration officer mentioned how these elderly people had just returned from that once in a lifetime opportunity to perform Umra, the off season pilgrimage to Mecca.I got my bags and strolled out past eager faces with nothing but excitement to receive their loved ones. My friend was nowhere to be seen.I stood on one side, looking at the sea of people walking past at night. Someone brought me a cart and let me use his cel phone. No answer.I tried again from the local security booth. They invited me in and helped me figure out what to do. They are very busy dealing with securing this airport. It was brutally attacked by militants not too long ago. The bus kiosk was closed. No reply on the phone. I waited some more.I saw a group of men holding flower garlands looking around, waiting for an arrival. One wore an ajrak. I asked who they were waiting for. They mentioned a friend from Iran, and looked a bit cautious. I reassured them, it was nothing negative, knowing of recent murders of Shias. I mentioned none of that, but we understood. Without missing a beat, one of them offered me a soda. I declined, but appreciated the kindness, not at all uncommon.Then I thought to connect to Wi-Fi, as my sim along with all other unverified Pakistani sims have been deactivated prior to my arrival as the nation struggles against violence.I found another number, called a friend of a friend I had not met, but trust. WiFi was weak so another stranger at a cel phone stall let me call again with his phone. My friend's friend dropped everything to fight through traffic. Not one complaint from his companion behind the wheel, who drove to pick up some random person, through a mass of cars inches from one another, honking and twisting in so much madness.A home was opened to me at a moments notice based off a mutual friendship. New friends are made. A delicious meal was shared and plans are adjusted. I'm reading about 4 or 5 hate crimes, beatings and murders of south asians and muslims on my facebook feed from the US as I sit here in Karachi waiting for the sun to come up, grateful that I'm greeted with so much kindness by people I have never met before today, knowing that this is Pakistan, and this is how it is.
Wandering with Jogis
I had come to SIndh, Pakistan from Los Angeles seeking a group of wandering snake charmers; Jogis to add their music to my animated film "Gul". Little did I know how connected we would be in the years to come, from devastating floods to bringing Sufi poetry to the world all thanks to people joining together to do some good.
Six years ago, I found myself at the side of a freeway eating food under a rickety hut in the deserts of Jamshoro, Sindh in Pakistan. The air was hot, as was the food. Drenched in sweat, I looked out past the asphalt, across sand, sprinkled in defiant bits of green. I had come there from Los Angeles seeking a group of wandering snake charmers; Jogis to add their music to my animated film "Gul". Little did I know how connected we would be in the years to come, from devastating floods to bringing Sufi poetry to the world all thanks to people joining together to do some good.
Thanks to help from Suffi Bilal Khalid, Fatah Daudpoto, Saeed Mangi and others who made my work possible, I have a story to share. I went to pick up Ustad Amb Jogi and Jairam Jogi at the Hyderabad rail station in Sindh. We would have ridden in two auto rickshaws, but they humbly suggested that one was enough. We piled in with my friend Azam Bugti, the two musicians, their large instrument cases and the auto driver, then went to Fatah sahib's apartment.
In the apartment, we met a few more local musicians, and each played a bit. I was mesmerized. It took years of grueling effort to get to this point. The musicians asked what I was looking for and I played a few recordings. They had never made music for films before. I reassured them, that what I wanted was their music, expressing the emotions of my film. After setting a date for a recording session and overcoming some other logistical challenges, I found myself with them again at the recording studio at the Institute of Sindhology in Jamshoro.
With hand gestures and words, I gave them cues for timing as Ustad Amb Jogi lead them through different raags and emotional arcs of the film. Each musician added their embellishments and created a rich piece of music. I was ecstatic. All that pressure and effort came down to several hours of weaving music from their seventh and eighth generation traditions, into a nine minute piece of music. We shared a meal after the recording session, then bid farewell. I came back to Los Angeles, with the recordings which I mixed and edited. I finished the rest of my film and "Gul" was born.The Jogis came with me through their music to festivals around the world. My film had no words, but the emotions of their music and sound design by my friend Brian Stroner. I put together a section devoted to them on my website, to let the world know them. The following year, I returned to Sindh, to give thanks to friends and share the finished film. The Jogis met in the lawn of a local radio station. I was overjoyed to see them again. They told me that it was not a particularly large project that we had worked on, but when I called them about meeting, they came because they appreciated my respect for them. I felt the same way. We sat and talked for a while. I told them how people around the world loved their music at festivals I went to. I gave them DVDs for each member of the group. I learned more about the challenges they face as musicians, such as never receiving copies of their recordings, never being showcased in their own album, and certainly not receiving the financial rewards for their art that they should. They were known as being among the best at each of their instruments, yet being illiterate and of simple means, promotion was not something they could manage. Yet these were not complaints. They shared with me, only after some pushing, out of a sense of trust.My project was funded out of pocket. They sat with me and gave it all the care and skill they had. In turn, I tried to give them the utmost respect as fellow artists as well as paying them for their hard work. These are sweet, humble people. I wanted to do more. I asked them to get recordings of their work, and have them sent via a friend at the University to me in Los Angeles, that I might cobble something together to promote them further. They agreed and we parted ways.I came back to Los Angeles, after that summer and got busy in trying to earn a living again to keep bills paid. I called Ustad Amb Jogi in November the next year, only to learn that he and the rest of the Jogis had lost their homes to devastating floods. Ashamed that I had not thought to check in sooner, I began to think about what I could do. I took video from our recording session and put it together. Based on that, I created a small campaign selling that one piece of music and sharing their story. It took a few months of personally emailing, calling and speaking to as many people as possible, but we raised $1,200 which I transferred to Ustad Amb Jogi. My friends at Sindhology came through to support once again. They provided recording services, then sent me the footage to edit and mix with funds going to the musicians and minimal recording costs.
Out of that project came a DVD and CD of the Jogis, with their names on it, short bios, photos and introductions with subtitles as a fledgling vehicle to promote and support their livelihoods. I told everyone about the project, shared the Jogi's story and music online for free and in person everywhere I went. People bought the album and at a very grass roots level it has been able to help the Jogis by raising more funds. Their videos have received thousands of views online, and where once there was no trace of them to the outside world, now people from every corner of the world can know them and their music in their own words. This project did not take millions of dollars to create. It took care, trust and a lot of love. They gave me what I could never create, and I in turn applied my skills and resources to try and share what I could.
In the end, I feel empowered by what can happen with an idea and the many people who help to make it a reality. At the moment, I am planning a new project with the Jogis, assorted other musicians and puppeteers, to dig deeper and share more of the rich culture there as well as benefit more artists. We are creating a traditional puppetry film based on sufi poetry by Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai which will bring together Sindhi folk musicians and Rajasthani puppeteers in the form of a film that crosses a border that has kept families apart for almost 70 years. Once again, it started with an idea, and is steadily growing, thanks to the power of people coming together to try and do some good.Learn more about the puppet film; "Risalo".
Smithfield Bargain at the Hotel Cafe
I got to enjoy the music of Smithfield Bargain at the Hotel Cafe. Here are a few quick sharpie sketches of them.
Extemporary Elites at the Blue Whale
Extemporary Elites at the Blue Whale live watercolor sketches from the show
LA 4 Gaza at the Echoplex Sketches
LA 4 Gaza at the Echoplex Sketches raising funds for Paletine Children's Relief Fund with fantastic music.
Went out to support an event called "LA 4 Gaza" which took place at the Echoplex. Some good friends (Discostan and Radio Sombra) put it together with fantastic music to raise funds for Palestine Children's Relief Fund, who do fantastic humanitarian aid work in the region.Great to see people like Omar Offendum, Ana Tijoux, Kadhja Bonet, Awesome Tapes from Africa, NGUZUNGUZU with my favorite DJs from Discostan, Arshia and Jeremy and hosted by Nizar Wattad.Here are some sketches I drew in the dark.
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LA India Ensemble at Calarts Watercolor Sketches
LA India Ensemble at Calarts Watercolor Sketches
I went to see my friend Neelamjit Dhillon perform along with Raginder "Violinder" Momi, Rajib Karmakar and Vineet Vyas as the LA India Ensemble at Calarts. Great show! Here are some sketches I made during the show.
Hari Kondabolu at the Troubadour
I went to see comedian Hari Kondabolu at the Troubadour. Great show, with some really good comics such as Solomon Georgio, Elicia Sanchez. Here are some sketches made during the show.
I went to see comedian Hari Kondabolu at the Troubadour. Great show, with some really good comics such as Solomon Georgio, Elicia Sanchez. Here are some sketches I made during the show.
Young Workers Rising Block Party
Young Workers Rising Block Party Maya Jupiter, Omar Offendum and Quetzal perform. Marker sketches of the performance.
Congratulations to my friend Shukry and all the people that came together to make the first annual Young Workers Rising Block Party a success. I managed a few sketches of Maya Jupiter and her band with a guest cameo by Omar Offendum. What a set. Wow. I can't wait to hear more. They were followed by ever fantastic band Quetzal. Here are a few sketches and some youtube videos below that to give you a taste.
Urdu Markaz Los Angeles 2014 Mushaira
Urdu Markaz Los Angeles 2014 Mushaira iPad sketches of poets.
I took my parents to a mushaira (Urdu poetry recital) featuring Pakistani and Indian poets. There was a lot of beautiful poetry with commentary on social issues in both serious and humorous tones. I took my iPad with me and made these sketches in an app called Procreate. You can also see a video of each sketch being drawn thanks to a feature in the app.
Here's the full piece of Iqbal Ashhar performing his poetry that I included in the video above.
MPV Youth Open Mic at Levantine Cultural Center
I went to the MPV Youth Open Mic at Levantine Cultural Center and saw a lot of talent sharing pieces, close to their hearts. Here are a few pencil sketches I managed during the night.
I went to the MPV Youth Open Mic at Levantine Cultural Center and saw a lot of talent sharing pieces, close to their hearts. Here are a few pencil sketches I managed during the night.
Sheila Govindarajan and friends at Downstairs at 57
Sheila Govindarajan and friends at Downstairs at 57 marker sketches
Exhausted from work, I went over to see my friend Sheila Govindarajan with other great musicians play at Downstairs at 57 in downtown LA. I managed to grab some markers and a small sketchbook on my way out the door and made these sketches during the show in all my sleeplessness.So much talent on that little stage. Thanks.
An Evening of Ramadan Poetry - DTLAB - Writ Large Press
Drawings from an evening of poetry
I want to Ramadan Poetry, a night of poetry that came out of my friend Taz's "Poetry a Day for Ramadan" project for people to create poetry every day as during the month. This was the outcome of that wonderful project, in Union Station thanks to DTLAB, Writ Large Press and Traxx Bar for generously hosting.
Here's a video of the process behind these sketches thanks to Procreate, an app on the iPad that I used to create the sketches.
ramadan poetry sketches from Adnan Hussain on Vimeo.
The Lions at Grand Performances
The Lions at Grand Performances watercolor sketch
I went to see the Lions (on Stone Throw Records), a really fun reggae band at Grand Performances. Here's a sketch from the show.
Check out some of their music:
Post Natyam Collective's "Super Ruwaxi: Origins" Sketches
Post Natyam Collective's "Super Ruwaxi: Origins" Sketches, paintings and animation snippets to give you a taste of my contributions to the piece.
I've been working with Post Natyam Collective on their dance theater production entitled "Super Ruwaxi: Origins" this whole month. We're a few days away from the Los Angeles preview, so I thought I'd share some artwork from my contributions to the process. I've been painting countless backgrounds, creating animations and doing a bunch of green screen compositing to help flesh out the world of Super Ruwaxi. A lot of the animation techniques I'm using are ones I also taught at some of my recent classes. It's been really interesting to use an iPad as a production tool. I've been painting using Procreate and created some 2D animation using Animation Creator HD, both apps for the iPad.You can see some sketches and paintings above, and animation below to give you a taste of some of my contributions to the piece.
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- china
- condo
- costa rica
- culver city
- dance
- dance performance
- data darbar
- desert
- downtown
- festival
- figure drawing
- film festivals
- ger
- hasan abdal
- hate crime
- human rights
- humanrights palestine israel conflict activism
- India
- jamshoro
- kyrgyzstan
- la zoo
- lahore
- landscape
- landspcape
- life drawing
- live music
- live music performance watercolor sketch
- los angeles
- los angeles forest
- mogolia
- mongolia
- montezuma
- motel
- music
- music show
- musicians
- naadam
- nadam
- nankana sahib
- Orange County
- painting
- pakistan
- palestine
- panja sahib
- photo
- photography lahore pakistan travel people
- photos
- post natyam
- protest
- risalo
- sindh
- sketch
- sketches
- students
- sufi
- travel
- ucla
- USA
- uzbekistan
- uzbekistan people travel photography
- venice beach
- volunteer
- watercolor
- watercolors
- wrestling
- Yorba Linda
- zoo