Derived from rigorous training in South Asian and Persian miniature traditions, my artistic practice delves into universal themes of womanhood, touching on aspects such as
relationships, sexuality, love, fidelity, and health.
Sumaira Tazeen is a Canadian visual artist and educator of Pakistani origin. She received
her BFA in Miniature Painting and Sculpture from the National College of Arts, Lahore.
Since then, her work has been exhibited in prominent solo and group exhibitions across
South Asia, the United States, Canada, Europe, and the Middle East. Her work has been
presented to distinguished figures including the late Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Her
Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan, and is now part of the Royal Collection, as well as
international public and private art collections. Sumaira's recent paintings have also been
acquired by the Royal Ontario Museum's Global South Asia Collection.
Throughout her career, Tazeen has received numerous national and international
accolades, including the Haji Muhammad Sharif Award for Miniature Painting, the Charles
Wallace Trust Fellowship, and a DFID Scholarship from the United Kingdom's Department
for International Development. She has also received several Ontario Arts Council Project
Grants for Visual Artists and has participated in major artist residencies and workshops,
including the Vasl Artist Workshop, the Living Arts Centre Residency, and the City of
Kitchener Artist-in-Residence program.
Sumaira has served as Associate Professor in the Department of Miniature Painting at the
Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, Karachi. She continues her art practice in
Canada, and her work has been shown in prestigious public art galleries such as the Art
Gallery of Mississauga. She has also led specialized art workshops, courses, and artist
talks at the Aga Khan Museum (Toronto), Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, OCAD
University, University of Waterloo, and Queen's University.