Internationally recognised art and literary critic, writer and cultural producer. Published in ELLE, Glamour, Esquire and Cosmopolitan; member of the Union of Writers.
Who Explored the Meaning of Home in Her Prints and Sculptures
Zarina was an Indian artist who created minimalist and abstract works on paper and sculptures, that reflected her nomadic life and the complex notion of home. She used geometric forms, organic shapes, and calligraphic lines, to express her memories, emotions, and experiences. She also used materials such as paper, wood, metal, and gold leaf, to create textures, contrasts, and effects. She was influenced by Islamic art and architecture, as well as by modern artists such as Paul Klee and Agnes Martin.
Zarina was born on July 16, 1937, in Aligarh, a small university town in India. She was the youngest of five children, and grew up in a conservative Muslim family. She spent most of her childhood in the courtyard of her house, which became a recurring motif in her later work. She studied mathematics at Aligarh Muslim University, and developed an interest in geometry and logic.
In 1958, Zarina married Saad Hashmi, a diplomat, who took her to various countries around the world. She lived in Bangkok, New Delhi, Paris, Bonn, Tokyo, Los Angeles, New York, and London, and experienced different cultures and environments. She also learned different techniques and methods of printmaking, such as intaglio, woodcut, and lithography, from various masters and studios. She also studied papermaking in Japan, and became fascinated by the material and its possibilities.
Zarina’s work was deeply influenced by her travels and migrations, and by the concept of home. She said, “I do not feel at home anywhere, but the idea of home follows me wherever I go.” She explored themes such as displacement, belonging, identity, and memory, in her prints and sculptures. She also used maps, grids, and borders, to represent the political and historical realities of her time, such as the partition of India, the Vietnam War, and the 9/11 attacks.
Zarina’s work was also inspired by her faith and spirituality, and by the aesthetics and symbolism of Islamic art and architecture. She used Arabic script, geometric patterns, and architectural elements, to create visual and verbal expressions of her beliefs and values. She also used gold leaf, a material associated with sacredness and beauty, to create luminous and ethereal effects. She said, “Gold is the color of the sun, the color of light, the color of the divine.”
Zarina’s work was recognised and celebrated by critics and collectors, and was exhibited in many prestigious venues and events. She had solo shows at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, the Guggenheim Museum in New York, and the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in New Delhi, among others. She also participated in group shows at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Tate Modern in London, and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, among others. She also represented India at the Venice Biennale in 2011.
Zarina passed away on April 25, 2020, in London, at the age of 83. She left behind a legacy of elegant and evocative works, that captured her journey and her vision. She was a minimalist artist, who used simple and subtle forms, to convey complex and profound meanings. She was a nomadic artist, who searched for and created her own sense of home, in her prints and sculptures.
