Art Portfolio
Light, is all around us. Its presence or absence signifies day or night, seeing or not seeing, waking or sleeping, life or death. Altaf shows light in different forms in his art by representing it in various environmental, atmospheric, or celestial phenomena. Using light as a medium, his work challenges the viewer to perceive everyday surroundings in different ways. The light and landscape of the southwest complement each other. They have special qualities that attract people, even if they appear harsh and unforgiving at first impression. The southwest light is unique; it is ever-present and ephemeral at the same time. It brings out colors of leaves and flowers of desert plants and at the same time reflects off hard surfaces such as rocks, walls and makes one uncomfortable. We take our beautiful natural light for granted in central and southern Arizona, enjoying clear sunny days for most of the year.
“The Lamppost: An Evening in Tucson, Arizona” represents the beauty of an evening sky in the southwest with a backdrop of mountains in Tucson. Man-made urban elements in the city always frame our view of this environment, perhaps making us appreciate its beauty even more. “Waves/Reflection” signifies the juxtaposition of the forces of nature with the man-made disaster of a burning city in the backdrop (Can one survive a storm in the middle of the sea as well as the dangers of man-made elements?). “Sun Minus” and “Sun Plus” challenge the viewer to look at the sun in different ways (how would space/sky appear with or without this object? How does the sun appear to move?). “Bahia de San Juan, Puerto Rico” is a representation of the Bay in San Juan with reflections of city lights and the sky. “Balloons in the Night Sky” represents the fantasy of viewing a night sky in dark-sky cities such as Tucson and Flagstaff when suspended in mid-air. "Grand Canyon 1" represents the phenomena of light, shadow, colors, and layers in the canyon that appear to change continuously. When photographed in directional light, it represents light during a particular time of day (mid-morning in this photograph) as well as our perception of time.
Altaf is an architect based in Tucson, Arizona, an Assistant Professor at the School of Architecture, University of Arizona in Tucson, and a self-taught artist. He was born and raised in the city of Mumbai, India, where he was drawn to art at a very young age. For many years, he experimented only with water colors on paper, creating paintings of mostly still life objects and later on, for rendering architectural drawings. The density of a busy city in India made him appreciate the value of natural light, fresh air, and ocean views and proximity very early on. In his architecture practice, research, and teaching, Altaf studies the use of light as a material to design space. One of his early and primary influences has been the internationally renowned and Arizona-based light and space artist James Turrell.
“The Lamppost: An Evening in Tucson, Arizona” represents the beauty of an evening sky in the southwest with a backdrop of mountains in Tucson. Man-made urban elements in the city always frame our view of this environment, perhaps making us appreciate its beauty even more. “Waves/Reflection” signifies the juxtaposition of the forces of nature with the man-made disaster of a burning city in the backdrop (Can one survive a storm in the middle of the sea as well as the dangers of man-made elements?). “Sun Minus” and “Sun Plus” challenge the viewer to look at the sun in different ways (how would space/sky appear with or without this object? How does the sun appear to move?). “Bahia de San Juan, Puerto Rico” is a representation of the Bay in San Juan with reflections of city lights and the sky. “Balloons in the Night Sky” represents the fantasy of viewing a night sky in dark-sky cities such as Tucson and Flagstaff when suspended in mid-air. "Grand Canyon 1" represents the phenomena of light, shadow, colors, and layers in the canyon that appear to change continuously. When photographed in directional light, it represents light during a particular time of day (mid-morning in this photograph) as well as our perception of time.
Altaf is an architect based in Tucson, Arizona, an Assistant Professor at the School of Architecture, University of Arizona in Tucson, and a self-taught artist. He was born and raised in the city of Mumbai, India, where he was drawn to art at a very young age. For many years, he experimented only with water colors on paper, creating paintings of mostly still life objects and later on, for rendering architectural drawings. The density of a busy city in India made him appreciate the value of natural light, fresh air, and ocean views and proximity very early on. In his architecture practice, research, and teaching, Altaf studies the use of light as a material to design space. One of his early and primary influences has been the internationally renowned and Arizona-based light and space artist James Turrell.