ABOUT ME
Zahra Goulamhoussen is an Indian contemporary artist whose practice explores the intersections of cultural heritage, memory, and modern abstraction. Having lived between Dubai, London, and Mumbai, she draws deeply from a multicultural background that informs her layered visual language. Rooted in the traditions of Islamic architecture, Persian carpet design, and Indian craftsmanship, her work reinterprets these classical elements through a contemporary lens—offering a reflection on the evolving nature of identity and belonging in a globalized world.
​
​
​
Her current series, Modern Relics, exemplifies this dialogue between tradition and innovation. Employing acrylics and modeling paste on canvas, Zahra builds complex, textured surfaces where intricate floral motifs and symmetrical medallions emerge and dissolve across minimalist fields. Architectural forms, soft pastels, and earth-toned palettes evoke a sense of quiet monumentality. The sculptural qualities of her paintings, with raised brushwork and distressed surfaces, mimic the erosion of time—suggesting both resilience and transformation. Her compositions invite viewers to contemplate the tension between permanence and impermanence, preservation and reinvention.
Zahra’s work has been exhibited internationally, including at Art Shopping at the Carousel du Louvre in Paris, World Art Dubai, and the Affordable Art Fair in Singapore. Notably, she was a finalist for the Scan.Art Emerging Artist Prize 2024 in the Mixed Media category, recognized for her painting Heritage, which engages traditional Persian motifs through the language of abstraction and symbolic restoration. Her practice resonates with collectors and curators seeking contemporary expressions rooted in rich, ancestral narratives, presented through a distinctive modern aesthetic.
Through her layered canvases, Zahra invites viewers to navigate the evolving space between memory and reinvention. Her art functions as a living archive—one that honours the past while reshaping it for contemporary reflection. By blending intricate pattern work with the expressive force of abstraction, she offers a compelling meditation on time, transformation, and the enduring dialogue between heritage and modernity.