An Ode To The Hills Of Murree

Looking at Brishna Amin Khan’s miniature paintings is a gentle, almost meditative experience. Spending numerous summer holidays in Murree, during her undergraduate program at the renowned art institution, National College of Arts (NCA), in Lahore, Pakistan, the artist found herself deeply inspired by nature and the landscapes around her.

While Murree stands as a shadow of her former self, what with the rapid (and ruthless) commercialization of its once pristine hills, Khan’s work captures the soft beauty of what Murree was once known for: a wild tangle of magical forests, misty mornings, rolling hills, exciting trails waiting to be discovered, busy squirrels, naughty monkeys and its grand pine trees…the list is endless.

“In the beginning I found it daunting…it felt too vast and layered,” the artist states candidly, “But over time my hesitation transformed to purpose. It was during one summer break in Murree, just before my undergraduate thesis, when my perspective shifted. I observed the rapid change in the landscape and its depreciation due to human neglect. It impacted me greatly. Hence, I decided to comment on it through my work, but at the time, I didn’t know where that conversation would lead me to. But it’s one that continues to evolve with each piece I create.”

Having exhibited her ethereal pieces at a number of local and international exhibitions and group shows over the years, Khan’s work channels, and pays homage to the mid-19th century’s Romanticism art movement, but through the lens of an Indo-Persian style of painting.

“I’m always in awe of the beautiful landscape of Murree,” she states, mentioning that its hills have remained not just a personal sanctuary for Khan, but also stand as her forever muse.

“The shifting hues from the movement of the sun, the starry mountain range at night, the dramatically changing seasons, all leave a lasting impression. From the monsoon clouds that engulf the landscape, to the winter’s snow covering every single leaf…yet new shoots push up through the snow with such vitality…it’s this very resilience that inspires me the most and shapes the way I paint. I paint not just to capture the breathtaking beauty of the Murree hills, but also to remind us of what we stand to lose in our shameless neglect.”

Currently immersed in a “mammoth” piece which showcases a picnic spot on a hiking track in Murree, where gypsies let their horses graze freely during spring when wild roses are in full bloom, Khan states that the painting is proving to be quite a “test of endurance,” yet a thoroughly rewarding process.

“As an artist, one can create visuals of not just what we see, but also of what we want to see,” she explains, when questioned if her art stands as a call to action.

“I perceive my work as both a vision and a warning, allowing people to face environmental facts while imagining a more hopeful future. In my earlier works, I created visuals of a landscape under threat. However, I quickly realized that the conversation of environmentalism – with the use of a stark imagery – turns people away. That’s when I started creating a serene, almost idealistic landscape. I hope to catalyze change by showing people what we could lose, rather than simply reminding them of how much we are already neglecting something that we have sadly grown desensitized towards.”