The City Witnessed

Shiza Saqib (b. 2002, Pakistan) is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice operates at the intersection of creative expression and psychological inquiry. She holds an undergraduate degree in Fine Art from the University of Edinburgh and a graduate degree in Psychology from Columbia University, specializing in Spirituality, Mind, and Body Studies. Her work has garnered significant recognition, including the ArtsThread Fine Art Prize and a selection for the Royal Scottish Academy New Contemporaries, where her work was featured on the exhibition catalogue cover.
Rooted in her Eastern heritage, Sufi literature, and experience as a yoga teacher, Shiza’s process is an extension of her daily practices of presence. She creates through intuition, seeking a “flow state” that mirrors the rhythm of long-distance running and the stillness of meditation. Through intricate drawing and embroidery, she repeats specific words in her mother tongue, Urdu, transforming the act of making into a laborious, meditative investigation of somatic awareness.

Currently, Shiza is expanding this lens of observation to the cityscape of Karachi. She is exploring the city as a witness, documenting the unfolding of daily life—from the rhythm of domestic chores to the chaotic hum of public activity. By engaging with these external happenings, she weaves the city’s pulse into her work. Ultimately, her practice serves as an offering against the cult of speed, inviting the viewer to find stillness within the present moment.