Lords of the Lens by Fatima Khalid
Explore Mondoir Studio
Medium: Gouache and Engraving on Metal Leaf (copper) applied to Museum Board (acid free)
Dimensions: 37.3 x 53.3 cm
Year: 2025
Price: $700.00 USD
Status: available
"Lords of the Lens" was born out of my fascination with the timeless tales of the Shahnameh, weaving ancient narratives into our modern world. I was captivated by the idea of surveillance as a metaphor for power, a silent observer that shapes our lives much like the mythical creatures and heroes of old. In this piece, the vibrant gouache and intricate engravings on copper leaf merge to create a tapestry of tension and narrative. The hero and beast, locked in an eternal struggle, are surrounded by watchful eyes, represented by the cameras nestled amidst lush foliage. This juxtaposition of old and new, myth and reality, invites us to reflect on the invisible forces that govern our existence. I hope viewers feel the weight of these unseen powers, yet also find a sense of resilience in the hero's determined grasp. My wish is for you to contemplate the narratives that shape your world, and perhaps find strength in the stories that connect us across time.
Why collect this work?
By placing surveillance cameras around a tightly enclosed combat scene, this work recasts heroic struggle as an event already captured, monitored, and potentially controlled.
- Khalid states that her practice reworks Shahnameh imagery through concerns about digital scrutiny. Here, that intention is legible in the pointed collision of epic figures and contemporary cameras.
- In the photograph, the warrior and horned creature occupy a blue oval bordered by rocks. Cameras face inward from dense foliage, while the expansive copper-toned field above makes the struggle appear exposed rather than private.
- The documented combination of gouache and engraving on copper leaf permits two distinct registers: dense, opaque figuration below and fine linear marks across a metal ground. Their separation reinforces the contrast between embodied conflict and remote oversight.
- The work provides a specific way to consider how inherited images of courage change under surveillance. Heroism remains physically forceful, but the surrounding apparatus makes visibility itself part of the contest.
About the Artist
Fatima Khalid
Fatima Khalid is an artist on Mondoir Studio. Artistic discipline: painting. Based in Dubai, AE.
Nationality: Pakistani
My practice delves into the layered construction of identity in a world increasingly defined by surveillance, displacement, and digital presence.
