Haniko Zahra
7 – 21 December 2024
Opening: 7 December, 7–10 pm

Haniko Zahra’s art is a powerful reflection on the complexities of the human condition, shaped by over three decades of navigating societal, cultural, and personal constraints. Her paintings transform symbols of restriction into frameworks for freedom, capturing the tension between the desire for liberation and fear of the unknown. Rejecting perfection, Zahra embraces vulnerability, struggle, and imperfection, offering raw, emotionally resonant work that connects deeply with viewers. Her commitment to representing the “not-okay” moments in life challenges conventional ideals of beauty and instead celebrates the strength that emerges from adversity.

Zahra’s creative process is deeply rooted in the immediacy of her everyday experiences—conversations, films, even walks through her surroundings—all of which feed her emotional awareness and artistic sensibility. These lived moments become the foundation for her paintings, where nude female figures emerge as central motifs, not as objects of gaze, but as agents of power and reclamation. Their nudity asserts authenticity rather than provocation, resisting reductionist interpretations and instead emphasizing shared humanity. Alongside these figures, Zahra often places domesticated animals—symbols of untamed instincts and suppressed desires—inviting viewers to examine the tension between societal conditioning and inner wildness.

Her compositions blur the lines between reality and fantasy, avoiding linear storytelling in favor of open-ended narratives that evolve with each viewer's perspective. This approach ensures a sense of ongoing discovery, allowing her work to remain dynamic and deeply personal. The presence of violence—subtle, sometimes laced with dark humor—acts as a momentary rupture in her otherwise fluid visual language. It jolts the viewer, asking them to confront uncomfortable truths without allowing brutality to overshadow the message. Zahra masterfully balances beauty and brutality, fragility and aggression, creating a visual language that speaks to the raw, imperfect nature of being human. Through this, she not only invites reflection but fosters empathy, turning her paintings into spaces for emotional honesty, self-confrontation, and connection.