Shiza Saqib, born in Pakistan in 2002, is a multidisciplinary artist. She earned her undergraduate degree in Fine Art from Edinburgh College of Art and the Iceland School of the Arts. She is pursuing graduate studies in Psychology at Columbia University, focusing on Spirituality, Mind, and Body Studies. Her work has garnered recognition following her thesis show, winning the ArtsThread Fine Art Prize as part of the Global Creative Graduate Showcase.
In her work, Shiza delves into the synergy between self-exploration and the creative process, weaving together her Eastern roots, Sufi psychology and experience as a yoga teacher. Central to her practice is achieving a 'flow state' through intuitive movement, breathwork and repetition. Her work pivots towards an in-depth analysis of the art-making processes, highlighting the essential role of slowness, introspection and somatic awareness.
These works act as gateways to meditation and heightened awareness, created through the repetitive inscription of words in her mother tongue, Urdu: Nafs (The Self), Qalb (The Heart), and Ruh (The Soul). These pieces invite pause, offering a visual rhythm that harmonises with the viewer’s tempo of stillness and motion. This laborious process, demanding hours of devoted repetition, challenges the subtleties of attaining internal stillness.
