Pakistan, 1957
I am a practicing Pakistani artist and painter with more than 25 years of experience in both artistic practice and art education at university and school levels. Alongside my studio practice, I have contributed extensively to arts education in Pakistan, including developing an art curriculum for one of the country’s largest school systems and leading professional development programs for over 300 teachers nationwide.
As a female artist working in Pakistan, I have continually navigated social and cultural restrictions that discourage women’s visibility and participation in public spaces. Even the act of sketching outdoors can be perceived as unconventional, uncomfortable, or unsafe for women artists. In recent years, concerns surrounding security and the rise of extremist ideologies have further constrained artistic freedom and freedom of expression.
In 2002, one of my paintings was destroyed while on display at the state-run Alhamra Art Gallery, reportedly because the female figure depicted was considered insufficiently covered. Experiences such as these reflect the broader challenges faced by artists whose work engages with the female body, identity, and visibility within conservative social contexts. Many galleries continue to avoid exhibiting works that may be perceived as “indecent.”
Despite these challenges, my practice has been enriched through opportunities to work internationally, including in Japan, India, the United States, Italy, and Norway. In June 2014, in Sicily, Italy, I created a 14 x 3 metre mural dedicated to Maria Grazia Cutuli, the Italian journalist who was killed by the Taliban in Afghanistan. The work honored her courage and commitment to truth, while also reflecting on the vulnerability and resilience of women working within conflict zones.
More recently, my artistic focus has shifted toward nature, not only for its beauty, magnificence, and rich flora and fauna, but also as a conceptual and emotional framework for the human form. For me, nature symbolises freedom, hope, and the possibility of an existential escape from the constraints of the mundane. Painting serene and beautiful subjects is a conscious choice I make both for myself and for my audience, offering moments of reflection, calm, and connection.
Through my work, I seek to transform everyday perceptions of art in Pakistan by engaging citizens and non-specialist audiences in aesthetic experiences that were once an essential part of the cultural heritage of this land. My practice is rooted in the belief that art can create spaces of dialogue, healing, and shared humanity across social and cultural boundaries.