25.59 x 19.69 in / 50 x 65 cm, unframed
Oil Paint, Paper, Graphite on Muslin
About the artwork
The following paintings are an archive of memories, exploring human connection and otherness through imported landscapes and conflicting worlds. The compositions are derived from the artist's personal archive which includes photos, prose, film, and audio, playing with the concept of nostalgia being a utopian version of the past. These paintings were created on stretched muslin, a fabric symbolizing skin and intimacy. Muslin is a fabric that is wrapped around the human body after death in muslim ritual; it is also a simple, domestic fabric common for the climate. Some symbols in her paintings include: Peacocks— a personal symbol for the past and innocence as her grandfather used to raise peacocks in the family garden, and the birds died when he passed away; Tea—symbolizes healing, intimacy, and community; Flowers—feminine desire and sexuality.
About the artist
Zahra Mansoor (b. 2000, Karachi, Pakistan) is an interdisciplinary artist working with the mediums painting, sculpture, and digital media, including film. Mansoor received her BFA in Art, Media, and Technology from Parsons Paris (The New School) in 2023, following her high school education at Karachi Grammar School.
Her practice is deeply influenced by her experiences as a woman in Pakistan and her life in various diasporic landscapes, including Paris and New York City. Through her work, she explores themes of femininity, diaspora, fashion, and postcolonialism, often creating public experiences that extrapolate personal themes to broader social and political contexts.
Her exhibitions include a solo show "We Sin-Phool Women" at Chawkandi Gallery (2022) and her participation in the Karachi Biennale 2019 launch with her film "Discovering Habib." She has also showcased her work internationally in group exhibitions such as "Being Human" at ModA Curations in New York City (2024) and "A Girl Will Return Looking for the Woman She Was" at Galerie D in Paris (2023). She was also awarded a residency at the 59 Rivoli Paris in 2023.
Mansoor has worked with the Musée d'Orsay, the Asian American Writers’ Workshop in NYC and her work has been covered by publications including Dawn EOS and Elle magazine. Additionally, her curatorial projects include "Tambola d’Amour"at The Dissident Club in Paris (2023) and "Baithak Soirées"at 59 Rivoli (2023).
Zahra Mansoor lives and works between Paris, New York City, and Karachi.
