Born in London, to Pakistani parents, Saira was raised in a household of both immense cultural pride as well as deep religiosity. These levers, were the inspiration and rebellious fuel of her early artistic impulses. Through painting and drawing, Saira found escapism, creating otherworldly terrains of symbolism. Her diarised sketches and “Sarabesque” scripture like forms became a secret language.
Amidst the noise of family duty and associated expectations of duty, she fled to University to study film and semiotics. There, a passion for filmmaking, the documentary, content creation, and the power of storytelling, would compel her to forge a new path. Swimming against the cultural tide, Saira established herself as a sought after Media & Interactive Producer within the Film & Music world, winning multiple platinum-selling titles and awards. A respected businesswoman she founded her own multimedia, technology, and events companies. Creativity and innovation remained the cornerstone of her trajectory.
In 2018, Saira was commissioned by filmmaker Martha Fiennes and Salma Hayek to paint symbolic artwork on the signature empress gown worn by Hayek in their acclaimed arts film ‘Yugen’. It would bring her back to her passion for semiotics and to make art in her own right. Since, she has created numerous series across diverse media from paint to pixels. Her experience and love of technology, music, and visual arts meant a seamless transition into the digital space where she has thrown herself into the exciting world of Web3.
Her insatiable curiosity, personal growth and confidence as an artist and cultural spokesperson are evident across every phase her work. 2023 saw her introduce video
mapping, reactive sounds and ai to explore immersive experiences. Through this, she seeks to embrace the viewer across the senses, challenging them not to simply observe but compelling them to absorb new influences, to participate and evolve her work to create their own narrative.
Breaking down barriers and preconceptions inside and outside her culture is a constant. Having fought so long to be seen and have a voice, she and her work have now matured. Confident in her skin, she uses not just her art but her voice to champion female creative, particularly the underrepresented.
If you would like to talk to us about appearances, workshops, collaborations or commissions we would love to hear from you.