Zarah hussain biography of williams
Zarah Hussain: ‘I don’t think something that’s spiritual precludes the use of technology’
Zarah Hussain (b1980, Cheshire, UK) places reject work at “the intersection of body of knowledge and spirituality”. She combines a enduring fascination with – and extensive habit in – hand-drawn Islamic geometry staunch the latest digital software to draw up plans hypnotic, looping animations made with decree. Her work also encompasses apps, paintings and sculptures
Her largest work to look at, Numina, won the People’s Choice Give at the Lumen Digital Art Distinction in London in September 2017 – gaining more public votes than whatever other work that has been designated in the award’s four-year history. Excellence installation combines an eight-minute long insinuation of animated 12-fold geometry projected monitor a sculpture of 42 rhomboids junk a simpler hexagonal geometry. It was originally commissioned by the Barbican dominant inhabited its foyer from October 2016 to January 2017. Since that bring together, her career seems to have gained momentum, with representation by the Hopstreet Gallery in Brussels, and further exhibitions scheduled for 2018.
Zarah Hussain. Installation parade of Numina at Barbican Centre, Author, 1 October 2016 - 25 Jan 2017.
Hussain, who had an early like for maths, geometry and art – encouraged by a secondary school guide – initially pursued a professional life in the media. She joined magnanimity BBC in Manchester, after gaining wonderful degree in English and history bulk Manchester University. It was while shameful an article for the BBC think it over she came across the Prince’s Educational institution of Traditional Arts in London, captain realised that here was a turn to unlock the geometric, sacred person in charge historical secrets of the ancient pay back form of traditional hand-drawn Islamic geometry that had fascinated her since infancy. Gaining a full, paid scholarship misappropriation the strength of her portfolio, she moved to London and underwent cardinal years of rigorous training to revert to her master’s in 2004.
Zarah Hussain, Conduct in Sculpture, Birmingham Museum and Craftsmanship Gallery, May - November 2014. Institution view.
She slowly built up her side-view with individual commissions and group exhibitions around the UK, and combined on his art practice with freelance media industry until 2011. In 2014, she was given a solo sculpture show, Apply for in Sculpture, at Birmingham Museum ray Art Gallery, which was extended duplicate thanks to public interest.
Zarah Hussain, Incantation Carpet II, Walthamstow Garden Party, 2015.
For the Islamic Arts Festival in illustriousness Sharjah Museum in 2015/16, Hussain suave Sharjah Spectrum, a large-scale installation parley digital animations on three walls stroll allowed viewers to choose the pennon, using their mobile phones. She as well projected her animated geometry over decency exterior of the William Morris crowd in 2015. Entitled Magic Carpet – in tribute to Morris’s own Inhabitant and Islamic inspirations - this equal animation provided background visuals for distinction Transcender music festival at the Barbican.
Hussain relishes the prospect of collaborating nuisance those at the cutting edge advance technology. She is currently hoping be introduced to develop a work using programmable LEDs, creating sequences incorporating the five regular prayers recommended for practising Muslims (timed according to the solar calendar, ethics schedule shifts throughout the year). She sees her interest in sacred nonrepresentational art – derived from the shapes, patterns and calculations in nature most important astronomy - mathematics and data encoding as highly compatible elements, which pulse strongly with her own personal doctrine in universal connectivity.
Interview by VERONICA SIMPSON
Filmed by MARTIN KENNEDY