Shabana Kauser stands next to one of her paintings - Southwest Times Record
Fayetteville Artist Brings Pakistani Culture to Fort Smith
By Alex Gladden
Shabana Kauser's parents left Pakistan for England in the 1970s, but Kauser stays close to her roots through her art, much of which focuses on cultural identity and immigration.
The Fort Smith Regional Art Museum is showcasing more than 65 of Kauser's oil paintings and mixed-media work. Her exhibit will run from June 11 to September 11.
The opening reception for the exhibit is from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. June 24. Kauser will also give a lecture about her work from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. June 17. Both events are free to attend.
Kauser's art focuses on realistic, contemporary portraits of South Asian women.
“It’s been great sharing my story," Kauser said.
Kauser is introducing the River Valley to a culture that people have had little contact with, said Garrett Copeland, the marketing coordinator for the museum.
“I think it’s just a part of culture we don’t get to see in Fort Smith as much as we’d like to," Copeland said about why Kauser's art is important.
Most of Kauser's work is oil paintings of contemporary, realistic portraits of South Asian women, she said.
Kauser is inspired by her parents' story of immigration. When they arrived in England, they didn't speak English. To make money, her mother relied on skills she learned in Pakistan. She began sewing traditional Pakistani clothes and eventually began work as a tailor on Western clothing as well.
Kauser appreciated art from a young age but did not initially pursue a career in the field. She earned a master's degree in information management and worked in that area until she and her husband moved to Fayetteville from Britain in 2008.
For the first seven years of living in Fayetteville, Kauser was not allowed to work because she was not able to get the proper visa.
“For me, I was like a fish out of water," Kauser said.
It was during that time that she began exploring her skill in art. By 2017 when she got her green card, Kauser decided to make art her full-time job.
(Alex Gladden is a University of Arkansas graduate. She previously reported for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and The Jonesboro Sun before joining the Times Record. This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Fort Smith museum highlights Pakistani culture through art )
