Salma Arastu

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Salma Arastu [1] (born 1950) is an artist whose work takes inspiration from her cultural background and experiences. Born in Rajasthan, India to a Sindhi, she was raised Hindu and later converted to Islam and moved to the United States in 1986. [2] She lived and worked in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania from 1987 to 2006, before moving to Oakland, California. [3] She creates paintings, sculpture, poetry [4] [5] and calligraphy and produces greeting cards for the American Muslim community. [6]

Contents

Arastu has exhibited her paintings internationally. [7] Her work is held in the permanent collection of the Museum of Contemporary Religious Art, St. Louis, Missouri, [8] the 9/11 Memorial Museum, New York, NY, [9] [10] and she has earned several grants for her work. [11] [12] Arastu received a Masters degree in Fine Art from the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. [13] [14]

Work

Arastu's art is influenced by the imagery, sculpture, and writings of both Indian heritage and Islamic spirituality. [15] [11] She has stated that her experiences in different world cultures have enriched her artistic style. While living and working in Iran and Kuwait, she was exposed to Islamic arts and Arabic calligraphy. [15]

Arastu's work include themes such as hope, and seeking oneness among humanity, the earth, and soul. [16] She claims that her work carries an "ecological consciousness", exemplified in her series "Mycelial Flow" and "Tiny Creatures: Our Invisible Sustainers." In these series, she explores symbiosis between organisms, drawing attention to the role of microbes as decomposers. [12]

Arastu has received grants from the East Bay Community Foundation’s "Fund for Artists" (2020, 2014, 2012), Oakland, CA and the City of Berkeley Individual artist grant, in 2015 and 2016 Berkeley, CA.[ citation needed ]

Her work has been written about in Islamic Horizons journal [17] Tikkun, [18] India-West [19] Performance Art Journal [20] among other publications.

Exhibitions

Arastu's work has been shown in several group and solo exhibitions including:

References

  1. ↑ "Resume – Salma Arastu". salmaarastu.com. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  2. ↑ Holmes, Kristin E. (11 January 2004). "Art aiming to bring diverse people to one God". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. p. D04. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  3. ↑ Gehman, Geoff (18 October 2007). "Salma Arastu back with deeply textured approach to life, color". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. p. 41. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  4. ↑ "welcome to salma arustu". Salma Arustu. Archived from the original on 23 May 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 "Bio: Salma Arastu". Archived from the original on 31 December 2006. Retrieved 23 April 2007.
  6. ↑ Moore, Haddad, Smith (2006) p. 139
  7. ↑ "Women's Caucus for Art: Northern California Chapter". ncwca.org. Archived from the original on 14 December 2006. Retrieved 23 April 2007.
  8. 1 2 "Artists Exhibited at MOCRA". Museum of Religious Art. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
  9. ↑ "Salma Arastu". 911 Memorial Museum. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
  10. ↑ "illustration & Paintings, Stanford Galleries, San Jose Mercury News". San Jose Mercury News . Retrieved 2 April 2007.[ permanent dead link ]
  11. 1 2 Winston, Kimberly (11 February 2020). "With canvas and Quran, one artist aims to make Islamic calligraphy a universal language". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  12. 1 2 Stories, Local (24 April 2023). "Meet Salma Arastu - Voyage LA Magazine | LA City Guide". voyagela.com. Archived from the original on 24 July 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  13. ↑ "Artist and Author, Salma Arastu, and the Poetry of Rumi: Art Exhibit and Readings". Berkeley Public Library. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
  14. ↑ "Event showcases Islam artists, poets, musicians". Daily Targum. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 24 April 2007.
  15. 1 2 "Bio – Salma Arastu". salmaarastu.com. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  16. ↑ "Oneness Projects – Connecting Humanity, Soil and Soul". onenessprojects.org. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  17. ↑ Hussain, Habeeba (September–October 2017). "Love Sees No Hurdles: SALMA ARASTU: Daughter. Wife. Mother. Artist. Lover of God". Islamic Horizons. 46 (5): 40–41. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
  18. ↑ Price, A.Y. (2009). "Painting Past Borders". Tikkun (Duke University Press). 24 (4): 26–27. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
  19. ↑ Springer, Richard (17 May 2013). "'underCurrents' Exhibit Showcases South Asian Women Artists". India-West. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
  20. ↑ Klein, Lee (September 2003). "Art on the Eve of Destruction". Performance Art Journal. 25 (3): 21.
  21. ↑ "Painting Prayers: The Calligraphic Art of Salma Arastu" (PDF). Saint Louis University. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
  22. ↑ Miller, Sarah Bryan (22 November 2015). "Artist creates beauty from Islamic calligraphy". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. p. D001. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  23. ↑ Miller, Sarah Bryan (22 November 2015). "Artist was born Hindu but converted to Islam". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. p. D006. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  24. ↑ "Art Jaz Gallery - Salma Arastu". artjaz. Retrieved 24 April 2007.
  25. ↑ "The University of Scranton- The hope Horn Gallery". scranton.edu. Retrieved 24 April 2007.
  26. ↑ "Work by Five Women Artists on Display at Black Cultural center". lafayette.edu. Archived from the original on 16 November 2004. Retrieved 24 April 2007.
  27. ↑ Gehman, Geoff (27 June 1998). "In Easton, graceful illusions by Salma Arastu". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. p. 46. Retrieved 10 March 2025.

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