From a dreamer’s world Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
A brilliant blue fish flies into a patch of orange pumpkins, another lies still among the lilac orchids hoping that its camouflage will allow it to blend in. These are some of the winged beauties that artist Shoaib Dastagir has painted in his solo show A Dreamer’s World.
“I find fishes quite calming and I can spend hours looking at them; that’s why I started capturing them in my paintings,” says Shoaib, adding that he spends a lot of time in the aquarium at the Mysore Zoo. “I also enjoy watching aquatic life videos on my phone.”
He reveals their names – Bumblebee Goby, Oscar and Arowana, Tiger Fish, Brunei Beauty and Shark – and how they are all part of the show. “I’m a Pisces, so no matter how hard life gets, fish are a calm haven for me,” says the artist. “Fishes are always at peace, going about their lives despite the limitations of their environment.”
Shoaib Dastagir Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
He talks about his love for “sunny colors like tangerine orange, avocado green, icy blue and buttery yellow.” All these colors and more are found in his works that reflect a touch of whimsy and play in a fantasy land where an astronaut steps around a cup of tea, a fish nests among blue peas and pearls, and a vintage model television sits atop a vase of yellow roses.
Although Shoaib draws his inspiration from the natural world, much of his art is born in his vivid imagination which also fuels his compositions of poetry, prose and songs. According to his mother Ayesha Dastagir, all these creative interests inspire Shoaib to create large and detailed paintings. “Of course, one can see a lot of mysterious characters besides the animals and fish. I believe it is his subconscious, sensitivity and imaginary fantasy world that together create something new and different.”
Most of the works in A Dreamer’s World were executed using pastels and watercolors on paper over the better part of a year. Although Shoaib used to paint with oil and canvas, this change in medium came when he moved from Bengaluru to Mysore, and working on paper seemed a more viable option due to space constraints at the new place.
From a dreamer’s world Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The artist, who signs his works as Shoaib, his official name which is often misspelled, is currently working on a series of paintings. The upcoming/current exhibition features 24 objects as well as a few other objects that are part of the series and are available for sale in the gallery.
Shoaib Dastagir’s ‘A Dreamer’s World’ will be on display at MKF Museum of Art from November 8 to 19. Entry free, closed Monday.
published – November 05, 2025 06:32 PM IST