Fatima Zahra Hassan

Fatima Zahra Hassan is a visual artist, educator, and researcher, trained in Traditional Arts. She specialises in Indian, Mughal and Persian Miniature Painting. Zahra studied Sacred Geometry/Islamic Patterns concerning analytical and cosmological approaches. She has worked as an artist/designer and a consultant for various international organisations. She has undertaken and conducted international art and design commissions and research projects with individuals and institutions. She is a visiting artist/academic in the UK and abroad. Zahra also introduced new courses at the School of Traditional Arts, The Prince’s Foundation London along with the University of London and the British Museum’s joint World Art Programme in South Asian Art and Design held at the British Museum and Asia House London. She has conducted innumerable workshops and has given talks in museums in the UK on Indo-Persian Miniature Painting and Islamic Illustrated Manuscript Illustration. She is part of international research groups and publishes on South Asian and Middle Eastern Art with an approach that bridges the practice with theory. She has co-authored a book on Arts and Crafts of the Islamic Lands by Thames & Hudson London. ARTIST’S STATEMENT Trained as an Indian, Mughal and Persian miniature painter with a background in decorative arts of Asia and the Middle East. Zahra uses traditional methods, materials, and techniques in her work with a trans-disciplinary approach. Most of her work embodies metaphysics and delves into strong metaphors and narratives that are universal. Zahra works with text and weaves in many ancient stories with a contemporary relevance. Since her training in the UK was in Painting and Traditional Arts, where she was taught a great deal of World's art traditions including icon painting, Italian Renaissance painting techniques. Her usual art practice revolves around her training in Indian, Mughal and Persian Painting techniques.