Noreen Ali

Spice up the immune system,

Decolonize the golden-orange root.

It’s always lingered here in the soil,

Beneath our grandmothers’ ancient toil.

Why search across the distant sea;

When it flourishes by the Indus, among rivers blessed?

Recognize the treasure by your side,

Before it’s claimed by the changing tide.

About Noreen

Born in Karachi, Noreen Ali earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture in 2015. Presently, she is pursuing a Master’s degree in Visual Studies and Art Education at Aalto University.

Noreen’s artistic focus revolves around the significance of consuming locally sourced food in alignment with our culture, cuisine, and climate. It reflects a profound connection to our roots and the importance of preserving our culinary heritage. Through her art, she prompts us to explore the flavours of her culture and environment. In an age of globalization, her art serves as a compelling reminder of the rich, flavourful heritage that often lies unexplored and overlooked in our backyard.

Noreen won the Imran Mir Art Prize in 2015 and has exhibited her work on numerous platforms. She is currently based in Helsinki, Finland.

Schajya Siddiqui

I am mapping out my relationship with my surroundings and bringing in narratives inspired by my means of escapism through books, comics, and animated shows such as Howls Moving Castle. A domestic cat is used as a character to guide and interact with my paintings of vividly coloured and transformed domestic spaces. I wanted to transform them into playful spaces as a way to navigate what I see regularly, breaking away from the confinements of the four walls.

About Schajya

Schajya Siddiqui is a visual artist based in Karachi, Pakistan. She graduated from the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and has majored in 2D art (painting, printmaking, and miniature.)

Schajya looks at her home and immediate surroundings as a main source of inspiration for her compositions. Her pieces follow a continuous narrative through the ‘black cat’ that is seen exploring the spaces within the paintings.