UNITED STATES: Today’s Google Doodle pays tribute to Zarina Hashmi, a significant Indian American artist, on what would have been her 86th birthday. Created by guest illustrator Tara Anand, the doodle features Hashmi’s distinct geometric and minimalist abstract shapes, honoring her visual aesthetic.
Renowned for her extraordinary sculptures, prints, and drawings, Hashmi’s work was deeply influenced by the Minimalist movement. Through her expert use of abstract and geometric forms, she aimed to evoke a powerful spiritual experience in the viewer.
Born in 1937 in Aligarh, India, Hashmi had a happy childhood until the partition, after which her family relocated to Karachi, Pakistan. At the age of 21, she married a diplomat and embarked on a global journey, immersing herself in printmaking, modernist art, and abstract art movements in Bangkok, Paris, and Japan.
In 1977, Hashmi moved to New York City and became a fervent advocate for women and female artists of color. She joined the feminist publication Heresies Collective, which explored the intersection of politics, art, and social justice.
Hashmi also worked as a lecturer at the New York Feminist Art Institute, aiming to provide equal educational opportunities for female artists.
In 1980, she co-curated the exhibition “Dialectics of Isolation: An Exhibition of Third World Women Artists of the United States” at the A.I.R. Gallery, showcasing the aesthetic ideas and perspectives of underrepresented women artists.
Hashmi’s intaglio and woodcut prints, featuring semi-abstract representations of her homes and towns, brought her recognition. Her Indian identity as a Muslim woman and her experiences growing up in a nomadic household greatly influenced her artistic style.
Hashmi often incorporated visual motifs inspired by Islamic religious decorations, showcasing intricate mathematical patterns and aesthetic appeal.
Her abstract and geometric works have drawn comparisons to renowned minimalists like Sol LeWitt. Hashmi’s artistic talents have captured the attention of viewers worldwide, earning her a place in permanent collections of esteemed institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
These prestigious positions testify to the enduring worth and appeal of Hashmi’s artistic legacy.
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