Soraya Sikander

Soraya Sikander ثريا سكندر is an expatriate artist of multiracial heritage, known for woodblocks, ink drawings & sea inspired, oil on canvas landscape paintings of Karachi, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah & London.

Soraya Sikander
Sikander with her painting
OccupationAartist
Years active2009-present
Works
Calligraphy Landscape, Karachi Mangroves, A Winter's Tale (Night), The Punjab Landscape
Spouse(s)
Dean Glen Majoor
(
m. 2019)
WebsiteSoraya Sikander Official Website ]

Early life

Born to an Indian Father and Pakistani Mother, Sikander spent her childhood traveling and residing in various countries, including parts of Europe. In 2008, she graduated from Beaconhouse National University, Lahore, and launched her career in a group show of Indian and Pakistani art, held in Dubai. In 2012 she went on to study at University College London Slade School of Fine Art's Summer School, followed by old masters style, classical academic training at the London Atelier of Representational Arts.

Artist

In early 2009, the artist began a project that depicted the state-of-the-world in a recession

This resulted in a huge panel, oil on board, nearly 5 by 8 feet, in size that portrayed Adam Smith, a symbol of capitalism, leading on to a vague, shadowy silhouette and ultimately resulting in a skull. The panel titled ‘The story of recession’ was described by art critics as "timely", "current", "expresses the situation" and "gives the whole picture" (Recession on canvas, Business Recorder 22 August 09) and further: "Remarkable… In a series of quick fire portraits she demonstrates the gradual visual regression of the father of capitalism from solid Teutonic traditionalism to the ultimate inevitable finale represented by the empty skull. The gradual falling off is not quite Hegelian, as no conflict is discernible in the dialectic, but a gradual corrosion of an icon" (Interpreting the recession, Dawn Gallery, 23 August 09).

By October 2009, for an exhibition at 'National Art Gallery of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Sikander used a series of elongated figurines painted in cubist style, to draw attention to deconstruction.

In February 2010, a solo exhibition followed, titled 'A floral symphony'. The exhibition that debuted at Unicorn Gallery used flowers as a metaphor. The entire bodies of work produced for this exhibition consisted of oil on canvas paintings, and ink on paper drawings, inspired by the Japanese art of woodblock print, of which the artist had made a personal study, particularly the printsof Japanese Manga Masters. The artist's work is described as socio-political art."She deals with current issues. Her selection of theme is timely as before when she did a series of paintings titled ‘recession".[1] This new approach of using the bright colours of nature as a messenger of non-violence was described as a "symbol of peace, promoting tolerance and non-violence in such volatile times.".[2]

Post Recession and Floral Symphony the artist launched a series titled 'Exotica', a journey in identity. The theme was inspired by Sikander's multi-cultural, multi-religious background. Exotica series was heavily influenced by Hindu mythology, and an interpretation of modern-day society.

Reviews
  • 2011 – ‘Vitality and versatility’, The Nation London
  • 2011 – ‘Question of peace, answer of art’, The Gulf Today
  • 2011 – ‘At one with Nature’, Art & Culture, Khaleej Times
  • 2010 – ‘The Golden Collection of vivid scenic beauty’, Business Recorder
  • 2010 – ‘The Golden Collection pays homage to the country’s soil’, Daily Times
  • 2010 – ‘Rustic art, a piece of gold’, Dawn Gallery
  • 2010 – ‘Flower power’, The Pulse, Business Recorder
  • 2010 – ‘Make flowers, not war’, Nigaah arts and culture from South Asia
  • 2010 – ‘Seeking solace in colours of spring’, Business Recorder
  • 2010 – ‘Celebrating nature, not terrorism’, Daily Times
  • 2010 – ‘Soraya’s painting exhibition’, The Leader
  • 2010 – ‘Sapphic Tales’, Dawn Gallery
  • 2009 – ‘A meeting of minds’, Arts and Entertainment, The Daily Star
  • 2009 – ‘Emotions coloured, emotions captured’, Star Weekend magazine
  • 2009 – ‘Interpreting the recession’, Dawn Gallery
  • 2009 – ‘Recession on canvas’, Business Recorder
  • 2009 – ‘Fun-e-Musawari’, Muqadamma
  • 2009 – ‘Musawari ko urooj’, Awam
  • 2009 – ‘Art in Pakistan’, Regional Times
  • 2009 – ‘A place in the sun’, Gulf News

Exhibitions
  • 2010 – Solo show: An Ode to nature, Grand Trunk Road Art Gallery, Singapore
  • 2010 – Solo show: A Floral symphony, Unicorn Gallery, Karachi

Group exhibitions

  • 2011 – Group show: Art from Pakistan, High Commission, London
  • 2010 – Group show: Art without boundaries, NM Art Gallery, Dubai
  • 2010 – Group show: The Golden collection, Unicorn Gallery, Karachi
  • 2009 – Group show: International artists: a meeting of international minds, National Art Gallery of Bangladesh, Dhaka museum, Dhaka
  • 2009 – Group show: Recession, Unicorn Gallery, Karachi

Private viewings

  • 2011 – Group show: NM Art Gallery, Dubai
  • 2008 – Group show: Kohinoor selection, Unicorn Space, Dubai

References
  1. Seeking solace in colours of spring, Art facts, Business Recorder, 13 March 2010
  2. Make flowers, not war, emerging artist, Nigaah Arts and culture from South Asia, 26 March 2010
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