Sadia Gul Ibrahim

As an artist originally from Pakistan and now residing in Glasgow, Scotland, I find inspiration in the rich architectural heritage of the regions I have called home.

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My artistic journey is driven by a profound fascination with the ornate façades of old grand homes, mosques, and palaces found in the Islamicate civilisations. These remarkable structures embody a sense of mystery and allure.

Since moving to Scotland in 2001, my artistic repertoire has expanded to encompass Scottish, British, and other European architecture. 

As a Pashtun woman from the Northern regions of Pakistan, my artistic expression is deeply rooted in the mélange of Persian, Central Asian and South Asian traditions which comprises my heritage. The heavy wooden doors, the fortified walls, and the meticulously adorned windows and balconies reify security and a rich interior social and family life run normatively by women. It is an ethos of enclosed but interlocking courtyards shielded from both street and sun yet embodying an innate power which belies facile stereotypes, and which is a source of both inspiration and hope for the future.

I often recycle and re-imagine materials that have had previous, frequently utilitarian, functions. I like to think I am helping reincarnate them to life and love, albeit in a different form and context.

My art is a testament to the transformative power of cultural exchange across time and space and serves as a visual narrative of my personal journey as a Pakistani Pashtun woman living in Scotland.