MALIHA MONSUR - Ethereal of tangible and intangible
Maliha Taher Monsur, a Bangladeshi-born American visual artist, currently resides in Maryland. She has dedicated herself to creating art that deeply resonates with her soul, choosing a path driven by passion rather than commercial pursuits. Her strong dedication and love for visual art have resulted in a significant body of work. Besides working on canvases, she has volunteered and donated artworks to support children’s welfare. Inspired by the fleeting nature of life and its endurance, her abstract realism explores color, form, texture, and value, pushing the boundaries of her creative process.
Maliha’s work reflects an intangible, subjective response. She earned a post-baccalaureate degree in visual art from the University of California, Berkeley, marking a pivotal moment in her creative voyage. This degree enhanced her technical skills and artistic sensibilities, paving the way for her pursuit of an MFA degree, which is a significant milestone in her career. Her website serves as a global platform to showcase her artwork, aiming to share rather than monetize it. Her journey embodies dedication and new aspirations, as she prepares to step into the spotlight and share her talent with the community.
Artist Statement
My artwork acts as a tangible expression of my intangible emotional response to my subjective state. Abstract Realism, my artistic approach, explores spontaneous emotions through detailed representations that engage viewers. My brushwork aims to evoke feelings, bridging the gap between the abstract and the realistic. The source of abstraction in art often originates from realistic objects or concepts, even if the final abstract piece doesn’t directly depict them. I explore themes of identity, time, and symbolism to capture both the fleeting nature of life and its enduring qualities, encouraging reflection on the importance of valuing and preserving our individual and collective identities. My environment, travel, seasons, and nature all influence my subject matter, which is closely connected to these themes. The Jamdani saree in my series titled ‘Moments’ represents my cultural identity and symbolizes our roots, which I believe need preservation from my subjective perspective.
Immersing myself in the creative process allows me to explore various media, using the power of colors, textures, forms, and both organic and geometric shapes, while experimenting with gradation and scale. My artistic journey is rooted in mixed-media painting, where I incorporate a variety of materials, including acrylics, collages, modeling paste, palette knives, charcoal, pastels, and found objects, to create a rich visual tapestry. In my compositions, I use the close-up technique of filling the frame with the subject by cropping and cutting out the edges to emphasize the essence of the subject. Distortion is another technique I employ to alter form by simplifying it. Sometimes, I layer moments with paint, overlap collages to collect memories, and juxtapose elements—these are integral to my work. Each piece embodies my artistic expression, challenging the boundaries of medium and technique. My creative process is a continuous journey of growth, guiding me toward deeper understanding and expression. I invite viewers to explore the intersections and discover their own meaning within the layers.