I grew up in Karachi, Pakistan with a population of over 15 million. In this urban metropolis, storytelling was iconography on public buses.
Zahra Ali, Artist
Artist Statement
Painting to me is solving puzzles of my brain. It gives me a sense of power as I can attempt to control the world around me. This realization came to me at an early age. As such, my combination of cultural experiences manifests as layers and colors in my work.
I grew up in Karachi, Pakistan with a population of over 15 million. In this urban metropolis, storytelling was iconography on public busses. Busses are more than a mode of transport for those inside; they are a joyous sight to passers-by that share a story. In a system where bus drivers own their busses, drivers would decorate the bus exteriors to showcase their ancestral origins with lines of poetry interwoven with ethnic iconography.
After doing BFA in Painting from Texas State, my move to Houston and work in the field as an artist over the past decade has been a journey of self-discovery reflected in my work.
I paint to express. I try to create pieces that show the world through my lense; my likes and dislikes. There are times where life is celebrated, and at times I show life’s dark side with a hint of color.