The 30-year-old artist is regarded as a pioneer in the snow sculpting art in Kashmir. He was one of the 15 artists who created snow sculpting masterpieces at Gulmarg in 2014
For those who stereotype Kashmiris, this should serve as an eye-opener!
A 30-year-old Kashmiri artist will lead a four-member team that will represent India at the prestigious International Snow Sculpture Championship (ISSC) in the US from January 22 to January 28.
Zahoor-ud-din Lone aka Zahoor Kashmiri will lead the four member Team India that includes Ravi Prakash, a young national sculpture artist from Bihar; Sunil Kushwaha, a young national sculpture artist from Madhya Pradesh; and Irfan Lateef Mir, a young sculpture artist from Kashmir.
“This championship is being held for the last 27 years. Last year, we got selected for the first time and won Spirit Award. They were very impressed by our performance last year. Nearly 400 teams across the world apply for the Championship and only 16 are selected. We are one of the teams selected this year too”, Zahoor told DNA.
Hailing from Singhpora Pattan in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district, Zahoor is currently working as a creative head at a famous Ad agency in New Delhi.
For Zahoor, joining the armed forces was the dream, which he could not realize because of family pressure. Since art was his first love, he decided to pursue his career in this field. After completing Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from University of Kashmir, he went to Delhi and finished Masters in Applied Art from Jamia Milia Islamia.
The 30-year-old artist is regarded as a pioneer in the snow sculpting art in Kashmir. He was one of the 15 artists who created snow sculpting masterpieces at Gulmarg in 2014.
Team India will be creating anthropomorphic figure at ISSC this year. “It (anthropomorphic art) has started from Egypt. The sculpture has elements and behavioural qualities of human and animal. It has the body of a human and the head of an animal. Last year, we had created Indian civilization during the event,” said Zahoor.
In fact, Team India is among the 16 lucky teams from 12 countries that will be participating in the ISSC at Breckenridge, Colorado in United States this year.
“Each year, International Snow Sculpture Organizing Committee (ISSCOC) receives hundreds of fantastic submissions and the task of choosing just 16 teams is a substantial one. Your team has been chosen from among these fine submissions and we look forward to hosting you and in seeing your piece realized by way of the world-class snow sculptures our Breckenridge event is famous for,” said the ISCOC in the confirmation letter.
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