I Am or Am I Not My Own Enemy

Artist Shahzia Sikander (American, born Pakistan, 1969)

Date2011

MediumInk and gouache on paper

DimensionsUnframed: 82 x 51 inches (208.28 x 129.54 cm)
Framed: 90 x 60 x 2 inches (228.6 x 152.4 x 5.08 cm)

Credit LinePurchase: the Asian Art Acquisition Fund in memory of Laurence Sickman

Object number2014.16

On View

Not on view

Collections

South and Southeast Asian Art

Terms

DescriptionThis large-scale calligraphic drawing is oriented vertically. Lines of nasta’liq calligraphy are drawn in black and red ink against a lustrous white ground which is sporadically ornamented with floral blossoms. The calligraphic lines are juxtaposed with musical notation, creating a large text page which reveals the interplay of two languages, Urdu and music. A dense application of calligraphy written in red ink in various directions creates a circular shape in the top, right of the composition, reminiscent of a seal. The entire composition is further activated by layers of horizontal drips of ink and paint.Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Sharjah Biennial 11, 2013, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, March – May 2013, no cat.

Echoes: Islamic Art and Contemporary Artists, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri, August 31, 2013-April 27, 2014, no cat.

Gallery Label

A close look at this calligraphic drawing reveals layers of text, musical notations and floral motifs. At the center, a block of text repeats the phrase "I am also not my own enemy," taken from a 19th-century melodic poem about unrequited love by the Indian poet Ghalib (1797–1869). Because the text runs together and repeats, it can also be read as "Am I also not my own enemy?" The text is juxtaposed with musical notations, and the entire composition is laid over a field of flowers. Sikander finished the work with vertical drips of ink and paint, making the text and musical notes unreadable, but creating a visually beautiful work of art. Sikander explains: "By repetition and layering, the text becomes both fluid and chaotic. In the process of translation what is revealed? The fluidity of language or the obscurity of the meaning?"

Provenance

The artist, New York and Texas, 2011-2014;

Purchased from the artist by The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, 2014.

Published References

“Art of Asia Acquired by North American Museums, 2013-2014,” in Archives of Asian Art 65, no. 1 and 2 (2015): 221, (repro.).

Raza Rumi, “Through the Looking Glass,” in The Friday Times: Pakistan’s First Independent Weekly Paper (February 20, 2015): unpaginated, (repro.).

Information about a particular artwork or image, including provenance information, is based upon historic information and may not be currently accurate or complete. Research on artwork and images is an ongoing process, and the information about a particular artwork or image may not reflect the most current information available to the Museum. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about a particular artwork or image, please e-mail provenance@nelson-atkins.org.