Artist Statement/ Biography

Sanié Bokhari was born in Lahore, Pakistan, which gave her two defining aspects of her life: an appreciation of artistic expression, and of the nature of power structures such as patriarchy. These interactions resulted in ambiguous visuals, reflecting a fear of censorship. Pursuing a master’s degree at the Rhode Island School of Design, allowed her paintings to open up and express themselves as more direct representations of feminist agency. She began questioning the traditions she had left behind, but also appreciating, and understanding them from afar. Her practice heavily relies on painting but also utilizing materials that interrogate gendered assumptions such as the monumental/impersonal being masculine, while the evanescent/disposable/personal is often seen as feminizing. Ultimately, she seeks to create a platform for cultural dialogue through her practice that reflects linkages between cultural exposure and personal progression.

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Sanié Shoaib Bokhari was born in Lahore, Pakistan. After completing her Bachelors in Painting from the National College of Arts, in 2014, she taught there for two years. She continued her studio practice alongside, and has exhibited her work in galleries in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore. In 2012, she was selected to represent Pakistan in Luton, for a cultural exchange program where Pakistani truck art was the main focus. She also spent a month at the Vermont Studio Centre, after which she recognized the necessity of graduate school for her work practice. In 2016, Bokhari started a two-year MFA program at the Rhode Island School of Design. Her current practice is an undertaking of an inquiry of the broad range of prospects presented by contemporary painting.