Statement

As a British Muslim Asian, my work is part of a search for a personal identity. In my work, I want to paint in a way that will allow me to combine my eastern origins with a western education and environment. I believe that Art can be used as a medium of exchange between different cultures.

My work is about image and reality, I love optical illusions. My work is about what is seen and what is chosen to be ignored - order from chaos. Essentially my work is based around some simple shapes, but these shapes, grids and patterns can be distorted to whatever effect that I choose to create.

The geometry that pervades Islamic Art and my work also, is a universal and timeless language. All civilizations and cultures rely on geometry to build, yet in Islamic Art geometry is used to decorate surfaces. This is a reminder that the Universe does not have a beginning or an end, the language of the Universe works in circles.

In Islamic Art the mosaics, tesellations and intricate patterns that are created from seemingly simple objects and shapes fascinate me. I work primarily with colour and illusion, I want my paintings to seem to be three dimensional so that they trick the eye and ultimately the mind.

In my work, I want to create something that is challenging to look at, to captivate the audience and hopefully leave a lasting impression on the mind.