Zaam Arif is a contemporary artist based in Houston, Texas. His work draws on philosophy, literature, and cinema, evolving into a deeply introspective exploration of the human experience. Through a seamless blend of oil painting and photography, he translates complex existential ideas into striking visual narratives. His practice unfolds gradually—mirroring life itself—through the interplay of time, place, and memory. In 2021, Arif became the youngest Pakistani artist featured in The New Yorker. That same year, he exhibited in the Malamegi Lab Award and received the Malamegi Lab Research Grant in Italy.
CV
HONORS
- Malamegi Lab 18 Research Grant
Italy - 2021
Italy - 2021
WORKS IN PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
- Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, India
- Samdani Art Foundation, Bangladesh
- X Museum, Beijing
- CC Foundation, Shanghai
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
- "Deewaar," Vadehra Art Gallery, London, UK - 2025
- "Deewaar," Vadehra Art Gallery, London, UK - 2025
- "Lost Time," Night Gallery, Los Angeles, USA - 2025
- "Waking Dream," Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi, India - 2024
- "Winter Light," The Cabin LA, Los Angeles, USA - 2024
- "Winter Light," The Cabin LA, Los Angeles, USA - 2024
- "Cries and Whispers," Cromwell Place, London, UK - 2023
- "Bazeecha-e-Atfal (A Playground)," Scott Miller Projects, Birmingham, USA - 2022
- "Being and Becoming," Tanzara Gallery, Islamabad, Pakistan - 2022
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
- In the Sight of a Man, M+M Gallery, Hong Kong, SAR - 2025
- "Being and Becoming," Tanzara Gallery, Islamabad, Pakistan - 2022
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
- In the Sight of a Man, M+M Gallery, Hong Kong, SAR - 2025
- Art Basel Hong Kong, Vadehra Art Gallery, Hong Kong - 2025
- India Art Fair, Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi, India - 2025
- Art Mumbai, Vadehra Art Gallery, Mumbai, India - 2024
- Frieze London 2024, Night Gallery, London, UK - 2024
- Frieze London 2024, Vadehra Art Gallery, London, UK - 2024
- Delhi Contemporary Art Week 2024, Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi, India - 2024
- People, Places, Things, Vadehra Art Gallery, India - 2024
- Art Basel, Vadehra Art Gallery, Hong Kong - 2024
- Art Dubai, Vadehra Art Gallery, Dubai, UAE - 2024
- India Art Fair, Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi, India - 2024
- Art Mumbai 2023, Vadehra Art Gallery, Mumbai, India - 2023
- Frieze London 2023, Vadehra Art Gallery, London, UK - 2023
- Delhi Contemporary Art Week 2023, Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi, India - 2023
- Platform x David Zwirner, New York, USA - 2023
- NOMAD, Full Circle Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan - 2021
- Anna Molka Gallery, Lahore, Pakistan - 2021
- Malamegi Lab 18, Venice, Italy - 2021
- NOMAD, Full Circle Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan - 2021
- Anna Molka Gallery, Lahore, Pakistan - 2021
- Malamegi Lab 18, Venice, Italy - 2021
PUBLICATIONS
- "Nomadic Issues", Dawn. Dec 2021
- "Vol 5", The Aleph Review. 2021
- "Issue 58", Periphery Journal of Drake University. June 2021
- "Issue 08", Al Tiba9 Contemporary Magazine. May 2021
- "Issue 08", Al Tiba9 Contemporary Magazine. May 2021
- "Venezia Today", Italy. May 2021
- "Issue 12, Beyond Words", International Literary Magazine. Feb 2021
- “A Season in Isolation", Gulf Stream Magazine. Dec 2020
- "Issue 12, Beyond Words", International Literary Magazine. Feb 2021
- “A Season in Isolation", Gulf Stream Magazine. Dec 2020
- “Short Vine Journal", University of Cincinnati. Fall 2020
- "Gasher Journal", Kerutis, Whitney. Dec 2020
- “String Magazine", Side Street View. Nov 2020