Google Doodle today honors the birth anniversary of Zarina Hashmi, a renowned Indian American artist whose 86th birthday falls today. Created by guest illustrator Tara Anand from New York, the doodle beautifully captures the essence of Hashmi’s artistic style, featuring her distinctive geometric and minimalist abstract shapes as a heartfelt tribute. Hashmi gained recognition for her extraordinary sculptures, prints, and drawings. Aligned with the Minimalist movement, her artwork demonstrated a remarkable mastery of abstract and geometric forms, inviting viewers to embark on a profound spiritual journey through their aesthetic experience.
Zarina Hashmi, born in 1937 in the quaint Indian town of Aligarh, enjoyed a blissful childhood surrounded by her four siblings. However, their lives took a drastic turn with the partition of India. This tragic event compelled Zarina, her family, and numerous others to uproot and resettle in Karachi, the newly established city in Pakistan. At the age of 21, Hashmi entered into marriage with a young diplomat, embarking on a transformative journey that took her to various corners of the globe. Her travels to Bangkok, Paris, and Japan presented her with invaluable opportunities to delve into the world of printmaking and immerse herself in the influences of modernist and abstract art movements.
In 1977, Zarina Hashmi made a momentous decision and relocated to the vibrant city of New York. There, she emerged as a fervent advocate for women and female artists of color, lending her voice to their cause. Swiftly joining the Heresies Collective, a feminist journal dedicated to exploring the intersection of art, politics, and social justice, she became an active participant in empowering marginalized artists. Hashmi also took on the role of a professor at the New York Feminist Art Institute, an institution committed to providing inclusive and equitable educational opportunities for women artists. In 1980, she co-curated a groundbreaking exhibition titled “Dialectics of Isolation: An Exhibition of Third World Women Artists of the United States” at A.I.R. Gallery. This exhibition played a vital role in amplifying the artistic voices and perspectives of women artists from marginalized backgrounds, serving as a powerful platform for their representation.
Hashmi garnered significant acclaim for her captivating intaglio and woodcut prints, which masterfully incorporated semi-abstract representations of the houses and cities that held personal significance throughout her life.
As an Indian woman hailing from a Muslim background and having experienced a nomadic existence during her formative years, Hashmi’s artistic expression was profoundly influenced by her unique identity and experiences. Her artwork often showcased visual elements inspired by Islamic religious decorations, characterized by meticulously crafted geometric patterns that held immense aesthetic appeal.
Early in her career, Zarina Hashmi’s abstract and subtly geometric aesthetics drew comparisons to renowned minimalist artists like Sol LeWitt, further solidifying her artistic stature.To this day, Hashmi’s art continues to captivate viewers across the globe, as evidenced by its inclusion in the permanent collections of esteemed institutions such as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and various other prestigious galleries.