Creative Critics review Imran Qureshi's Garden within a Garden

All the pupils involved are aged 9-10 and have been taking part in workshops designed to motivate their engagement with art and culture, visit pieces of contemporary performance and use their newly developed thinking, communication and writing skills to review these works.

Below are reviews by young critics from Birkby Junior School who went to see artist Imran Qureshi’s Garden within a Garden installation in Bradford on June 20.

Adam Nawab, Birkby Junior School

Imran Qureshi’s Garden Within A Garden was marvellous. He painted the art with acrylic paint so the art wouldn’t wash away. The blue he painted were tear drops from WW1. The splats represented blood and explosions from the battle. The flowers were influenced by Indian culture. It made me feel sadness and fear, but at the same time, it made me feel joyful and hopeful. It was difficult to think about. Imran did that on purpose because he wanted us to feel sad but not too sad.

I thought at first, the painting was for happiness but then I was sad because the painting was blue and normally I think blue was for sadness and it reminded me of WW1. Everyone should go and see these floor paintings.

Amna Khan, Birkby Junior School

Garden Within A Garden in Bradford Lister Park and City Park, by Imran Qureshi, world famous Pakistani artist, was beautiful and a thrill to visit. Not having any prior knowledge about Imran’s artistic style, I was truly amazed although it wasn’t as large as I expected. Remembering that these are meant to host new Indian gardens, I felt really safe because beauty makes me feel safe. The garden is a place of tranquillity, harmony and infinite beauty. The shapes at one end of the garden looked like the wudhu area in Pakistani mosques. This garden had a similar feel to Jinnah Garden, Lahore. Maybe, Imran has made it like this because he has Pakistani heritage and is currently working in Lahore.

I felt sad, reflective and very emotional when I looked at the art because I knew that this is dedicated to the millions of strong soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the British-Indian army in WW1. This makes me think about my ancestors who died in the war. I think the black flowers say that there is still kindness, life, beauty and hope somewhere in the world. The amazing painting was ruined by the few messy splodges which were done to represent bombs and destruction. I think that by looking at this masterpiece, you will feel very emotional.

Sania Habib, Birkby Junior School

Imran Qureshi’s Garden within a Garden installation is in Bradford Lister Park and City Park. I was gobsmacked when I walked in, his painting was awesome and he had really used his imagination. The painting in City Park made me think of the beautiful sky shining brightly onto water and also I think it is about huge tear drops. It made me feel calm, relaxed and it was very peaceful to look at.

In the second peace of painting it made me think of disruption and war because on the floor there were splats that made me think of blood, bombs and gun powder. I think the meaning of the painting is, to make people think about the people that were killed in the war, and also about remembrance.

The art is successful and we should recommend it to everyone because we want to make them think about what happened in the war.

Muhammad Huzaifa, Birkby Junior School

Imran Qureshi’s painting work was so amazing! I really loved his work. I felt really serious because of the people who died in the war but on the other hand I feel amazed because of his beautiful art work. The paintings were the best art work. His drawings will have a big impact on the people who see it. The other space had waterfalls and I thought it represented the tears a war makes. I did not think that the art work would be on the floor I thought it would be on a piece of paper. I loved the way he organised the piece of art work. We are so lucky that we don’t have world wars now.

I recommend this place to anyone to come I love his work.

Marwa Khan, Birkby Junior School

Imran Quereshi Garden with in a Garden installation, Bradford, Leister Park and City Park. When we were at Garden with in a garden, we saw beautiful stylised flowers made by Imran. The first piece we saw was blue and it represented tears .It looked beautiful but makes you feel a sad emotion.

Imran was inspired by Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. He has travelled around the world, Canada, Afghanistan, Japan and more .He told us that the art he did on the floor represented World War 1.

It took Imran 14 days to complete Garden with in a garden.

It made me think about World War 1 because the second piece had splashes [black, red] and in the first piece it had dark blue splashes. The work actually got to my heart because in Wold War 1 people sacrificed their lives for us.

Imran was a joyful man, he made everything by himself with his assistance, when we were there, he was finishing off his art work, and personally I would like him to make the second piece a bit neater because the first piece was neater but the second not so neat.

I would recommend you to go and see this place, he is a successful artist.

Raya Ali age 10

Imran Quereshi’s garden within a garden .when we went inside City Park I was terribly gobsmacked the incredible and peaceful and calm Painting is not what I was expecting. Imran was really brave and confident. The insulated piece of art that he has been working on for only 1 and a half days. I was surprised and shocked, it made me think about the World War 1 and everyone was crying in shiny blue tears.

However when we went to the incredible Lister park I was absolutely thrilled. Suddenly I thought in my head, this beautiful, glamorous, glorious piece of art looks like when the world war happened. The red paint represents the blood. I think the blue piece of art is when the world war ended.