The Political Artist – Maheen Tariq

Hello, I’m Maheen. I’m in the Final Year Master’s Program of International Relations, at the University of Peshawar. I’ve always felt the need to keep myself up-to-date with current affairs, concerning our own country, as well as the rest of the international sphere. And I honestly feel myself thriving being a student of humanities, which I doubt would’ve been the case had I succumbed to our society’s preference of the esteemed fields of medicine and/or engineering.

Let’s do rapid Q&A!

Alright!

I eat: Just about everything, if it’s spicy enough.

I drink: In an ideal world I would’ve said ‘only fruit juices’, but alas, this isn’t an ideal world, and so there are obviously some fizzy drinks involved.

Books / shows: My favourite writer being Kurt Vonnegut, so anything by him. As for the show, I’ve recently watched this British series The Durrells, and I found it to be very wholesome and an well-written show.

 Also, I’m all for abolishing the monarchy, but that doesn’t stop me from saying that The Crown is yet another favourite.

Hangout spot on campus: Definitely the outdoor space.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I don’t see myself as someone who’s built for desk-jobs – or any job at all for that matter – but with the profession I want to pursue, there’s no escaping the desk. So, I will most probably be chairing a meeting in my office somewhere, being a part of the bureaucratic machinery of our country. I will then go home to my digital sketchbook which I’ll proceed to use to create artwork to sooth my soul. All I know is that I’ll maintain a healthy balance between my love for art and my inclination towards politics/duty as a responsible citizen.

What did you want to become as a kid?

I went through many phases, ranging from the time when I wanted to be a pilot, to wanting to become a makeup artist. At one point I seriously considered abandoning my studies and maybe organising a political party of my own.

Your favourite extra-curricular? I’ve recently taken up film photography, which of course is a dying art form, and I feel that that’s a shame because there’s a sense of familiarity to film and an added personal touch as you’re so involved in the capturing of an image. It is quite unlike digital photography, which doesn’t have the emotional depth and warmth that’s provided by film. 

Other than photography, I spend my time making posters and I have also tried my hand at designing alternative album covers for my favourite musical albums. A dream of mine being able to design one and then seeing it on an actual vinyl cover.

What’s the best thing about your degree? / biggest benefit: It is very open-ended and not very restricting, which allows for growth of the mind and there’s always a free-flow of ideas; nothing feels stagnant. I get to read as much as I want, be it fiction or nonfiction, because it all adds to my reserve of ideas. I have time for my artistic pursuits, such as painting and graphic designing. So basically, you always have room for a breather. But for me, it’s the exchange of ideas and even the arguments that one ends up either winning or losing against people. 

Pick a mascot for CLLB

A markhor. The horns really speak for themselves.