Penn State Wilkes-Barre Friedman Art Gallery is hosting a new solo exhibition by Mountain Top artist Johar Manzar called “Living Landscapes and More.” The exhibition, which features a variety of Manzar’s artworks, runs from Wednesday, February 4, through Friday, February 27, is free, and open to the public on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Manzar is applying to residency training in pediatrics and studied medicine at Windsor University.
According to Manzar, “The forest’s face reflected on a glassy lake fills me with wonder. So does a spider’s web, heavy with dew. The world around me lives inside me, and I find it different each time I look. I read old books, research movies, and look under rocks. I give prompts to DALL·E and see what comes out. Then I let it all compost. Before I enter my space, I surrender the noise. Painting becomes both chisel and balm. It hones me. It heals. It is my gentle command over the wilderness. Greenspace heals us, and painting it heals me.”
She states that “It is a privilege to create and consume stories and art. Reclaiming our expressive birthright is some of the best medicine there is. I want to leave a legacy of advocacy, art, and education, touching my work wherever it goes. My name in Urdu means jewel, and my family’s name means scene. Lose yourself in short jewel strokes and find yourself in the never-ending scene. Up close, they are the marks of a hand. Step back—or step in.”
Watch this YouTube interview with En Plein Air Artist Johar Manzar:
Johar Manzar Publications:
- Manzar, JA. Where Have the Animals Gone to Play. World Environment Day 2024. June 05, 2024.
- Manzar, JA. One and a Half. Peregrine Journal. June 23, 2024.
- Manzar, JA. Shadow Angel. Peregrine Journal. June 23, 2024.