Saira Wasim's delicately crafted miniature paintings are playful parodies of human wealth and power, particularly focusing on the plight of those who suffer political, religious and social injustice. Trained in the meticulous art of the Mughal miniature at the National School of Art in Lahore, Pakistan, Wasim's practice cunningly unites this once courtly tradition with contemporary subjects of extremism, political wrangling and gender inequality. The Mughal miniature has a long and significant history in South Asia as a much revered art whose early patronage was sustained by the Rajput courts of India. Artists were commissioned to document the emperor and his daily life and these illuminated pages were subsequently held as historical testaments of that Emperor's particular reign. The miniature acted as social commentary, its beauty and exquisite detail often an artistic disguise or foil for taboo subjects that were nuanced through particular sign or symbol. Wasim's art is equally adept at drawing the viewer towards the jewel-like beauty of the painted surface, though it is her sardonic sense of wit and humour that commands the sensitive subjects she engages. Wasim believes strongly in the power of the image and its ability to expose the plight of the weak and oppressed, often confronting contentious issues such as 'honor killings' of women in Pakistani Muslim society or the treatment of Iraqi prisoners at Guantanamo Bay by American soldiers. 'Untitled' 2005 portrays images of suicide bombers. 'Human flesh is under the spell of a nonsensical mesh of dogma and apples signify Terror or terrorist but unfortunately it's a matter of faith for some.'(1) This brief epithet satirically conveys Wasim's attitude towards the increasing international occurrence of terrorist attacks by suicide bombers. In 'Untitled' 2005, figures of men are morphed with the heads of goats; green apples balance precariously on the heads of men who have their eyes closed; while others are hooded or enclosed in cylindrical glass jars or hand-made bombs. Wasim's deliberate inclusion of such animals as the ram and goat is significant, referring to cross-cultural interpretations of these animals from Greek mythology to traditional Muslim practices of sacrifice. For instance, the goat could be interpreted as signifying Pan, the Arcadian god who watches over shepherds and their flocks and, in Christian literature, Satan, with his horns and cloven hooves, is said to be derived from Pan. The modern Tarot continues with this idea of the goat as a creative power of evil, but marking it also as a power of potential good (as represented by the 'third eye' or reversed pentagram on the goat's head in modern Tarot cards). In Wasim's work the third eye is replaced with a red circle, like a bullet which struggles to find its target. These animals could be a reference to the most important feast on the Muslim calendar - the Eid al-Adha or Feast of Sacrifice. During the annual pilgrimage of Hajj, particular animals are sacrificed to commemorate the day that Ibrahim committed to kill his only son as commanded by Allah. By demonstrating he was willing to do this, Allah was satisfied of Ibrahim's love for his Lord and was spared the death of his son - it is said a ram was sacrificed in his place. Wasim's inclusion of these religious and spiritual symbols demonstrates the overtly complex and varied number of religious ideas and rituals in our contemporary global society that are little understood or taken to tragic fundamentalist extremes. 1. Artist statement, 9 Sept. 2005. Artist's file, QAG Library. Biographical information: Saira Wasim was born in Lahore, Pakistan in 1975. In 1999 she graduated with a major in miniature painting from the National School of Art in Lahore which is the only institution in the world which continues to teach the traditional art of the Mughal miniature. Wasim moved to Chicago, United States in 2003 where she now lives and works. Often cited as anti-Islamic, Wasim's paintings reflect her direct experiences of religious prejudice as she is a member of the minority Muslim group, Ahmaddaya, in Pakistan (see Acc. no. 2005.340 'Additional information' for further information). Wasim is considered one of Pakistan's leading contemporary artists and has been included in numerous international exhibitions such as: 'Karkhana: A contemporary collaboration', Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Connecticut, United States, in 2005; 'Transcendent contemplations, green cardamom', Hosain Gallery, London, England, in 2004; 'Playing with up-loaded gun', Kunsthalle Fridericianum, Kassel, Germany, in 2004; 'American effect', Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, United States, in 2003; 'Miniatures Pakistani', Maison d'art Contemporain, Chaillioux, France, in 2003; and 'Manoeuvring miniatures', Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai, India, in 2001. Essay by Zoe Butt, Curatorial Assistant, Contemporary Asian Art, Nov. 2005.

Saira Wasim was born in Lahore, Pakistan in 1975. In 1999 she majored in miniature painting at the National School of Art in Lahore and four years later moved to Chicago, Illinois, where she lives and works today. Criticised by some as anti-Islamic, Wasim's paintings reflect her direct experiences of religious prejudice, and her life as a member of the minority Muslim group Ahmadiyya (see Acc. no. 2005.340 for further information). A leading contemporary Pakistani artist, Wasim has participated in numerous international exhibitions, particularly in the United States and Europe.

Saira Wasim's delicately crafted miniature paintings are playful parodies of human wealth and power, mainly focusing on the plight of those who suffer political, religious and social injustice. Wasim's art practice cunningly unites this once courtly tradition with contemporary subjects of extremism, political wrangling and gender inequality. The Mughal miniature has a long and significant history in southern Asia as a much revered art whose early patronage was sustained by the Rajput courts of India. Artists were commissioned to document the emperor and his daily life and these illuminated pages were subsequently held as historical testaments of that Emperor's particular reign. The miniature acted as social commentary, its beauty and exquisite detail often an artistic disguise or foil for taboo subjects that were nuanced through particular sign or symbol. Wasim's art is equally adept at drawing the viewer towards the jewel-like beauty of the painted surface, though it is her sardonic wit and humour that commands the sensitive subjects she engages. Wasim believes strongly in the power of the image and its ability to expose the plight of the weak and oppressed, often confronting contentious issues such as 'honour killings' of women in Pakistani Muslim society, or the treatment of Iraqi prisoners at Guantanamo Bay.

The work Untitled portrays images of suicide bombers. Wasim has said: 'Human flesh is under the spell of a nonsensical mesh of dogma and apples signify Terror or terrorist but unfortunately it's a matter of faith for some.'(1) In Untitled, figures of men are morphed with the heads of goats, and green apples balance precariously on the heads of men who have their eyes closed; others are hooded or enclosed in cylindrical glass jars or hand-made bombs. Wasim's inclusion of such animals as the ram and goat is significant, referring to cross-cultural interpretations of these animals from Greek mythology to traditional Muslim practices of sacrifice. Wasim's inclusion of these religious and spiritual symbols demonstrates the overtly complex and varied number of religious ideas and rituals in our contemporary global society that are little understood, or taken to tragic extremes.

1. Saira Wasim, quoted in Queensland Art Gallery curatorial files, Brisbane, 9 September 2005.