Design Free Thursday // Idols by Hamra Abbas.

Idol 13, 2012. C-Print, 120 x 80 cm
Image courtesy of Lawrie Shabibi.

Idol 18, 2012. C-Print, 120 x 80 cm
Image courtesy of Lawrie Shabibi.

Idol 2, 2012. C-Print, 120 x 80 cm
Image courtesy of Lawrie Shabibi.

Idol 5, 2012. C-Print, 120 x 80 cm
Image courtesy of Lawrie Shabibi.

Idol 4, 2012. C-Print, 120 x 80 cm
Image courtesy of Lawrie Shabibi.

Pakistani artist Hamra Abbas uses a wide range of media – paper collage, painting, ephemeral soft plasticine sculptures and video are all a part of her cunning toolkit. I am particularly drawn to her Idols series in which Abbas mixes miniatures with exaggerated forms, and realism with pop art. This impressive collection of work in progress are blown-up digital photographs of miniature clay sculptures.

Although these portraits are quite serious, expressive and visually arresting, I can’t help but giggle. Something about them is really edgy and kind of funny. Do you think the same thing?

Idol 3, 2012. C-Print, 120 x 80 cm
Image courtesy of Lawrie Shabibi.

Idol 8, 2012. C-Print, 120 x 80 cm
Image courtesy of Lawrie Shabibi.

Idol 20, 2012. C-Print, 120 x 80 cm
Image courtesy of Lawrie Shabibi.

Hamra Abbas was born in Kuwait in 1976 and lives and works between Boston and Lahore, Pakistan. She received her BFA and MA in Visual Arts from the National College of Arts, Lahore in 1999 and 2002 respectively before going on to the Universitaet der Kuenste in Berlin in 2004 where she received the Meisterschueler. Abbas lists artists Jeff Koons and Takashi Murakami as some of her influences.

Super cool Ms Abbas. Love your work lady.

Idol 7, 2012. C-Print, 120 x 80 cm
Image courtesy of Lawrie Shabibi.

Idol 10, 2012. C-Print, 120 x 80 cm
Image courtesy of Lawrie Shabibi.

Idol 19, 2012. C-Print, 120 x 80 cm
Image courtesy of Lawrie Shabibi.

Idol 20, 2012. C-Print, 120 x 80 cm
Image courtesy of Lawrie Shabibi.

[Images courtesy of the Artist and Lawrie Shabibi.]