Zaahirah Muthy sets these creatures as a departure point to “pay tribute to God’s creations”. Within the 114 surahs, 6 are named after animals with over 200 verses that alludes to the magnificence of animals bearing gentle traits. Le Village des Animaux (The Village of Animals) marks the artist’s 7th solo showcase. It comprises of animals adapted from their mentions in the surahs of the Holy Quran, the chronicle of Noah’s Ark, and from her personal relevance to them. Zaahirah takes her series of 13 paintings up a notch by including endangered species to shed a brighter light on the calamities effected by human exploitations. Through her employment of sgraffito with resin finish, Zaahirah etches these forms into the build-up of paint layered on the canvases as she conjures and conveys vignettes of these creatures that dominate the air, lands, and oceans.
Spanning the course of 8 years since 2015, the series has been a culmination of Zaahirah’s undertaking to diverge her craft into untapped expanses while bettering the day-to-day appreciation of these earthly creatures seen as gifts to humanity. It is in this vein that Zaahirah Muthy has gifted us with ‘Le Village des Animaux’, thus prompting for a resurgence and preservation of animals in art today.
Artist biography
Zaahirah Muthy is an accomplished artist-activist, an agent of change, and a curator who has made significant contributions to the art world through her various initiative. In a bid to fulfil her mission of bringing about positive changes in society, Zaahirah conveys a positive societal change and empowerment through her art and artistic initiatives.
Assuming the mantle of an activist artist, Zaahirah has been consistent in her provision of impassioned support for women artists across the globe. She is the institutor of an impressive array of artistic initiatives which are made accessible via her brand, ZeeArts Gallery. The platform serves as a roving international art hub that provides a range of art consultancy services and curatorship with the goal of connecting artists from around the world to diverse artistic projects.
Under its belt includes the ‘Art Connects Women’ an annual international women’s art exhibition which is gearing towards its 7th edition in 2024, the Mauritius International Art Fair (MIAF) – a multidisciplinary contemporary art fair in Mauritius and the first of its kind in the region, as well as an annual art initiative focusing on African arts entitled Africa Speaks – 54 A curatorial foundation was also established alongside Sotheby’s Institute of Arts.
One of Zaahirah’s initiatives that remains paramount to her mission of connecting artists is SDGs through Arts – an art programme established in collaboration with the UN-UAE to engage 17 artists in cross-border cultural immersions. Her aim is to reach out to 17 countries by 2030. As of 2022, she has curated this initiative in the UAE, Mauritius, Seychelles, Bangladesh, Iraq, and Comoros Island.
In addition to her artistic endeavours, Zaahirah Muthy has also made a significant impact as a public speaker; over the past 10 years, she has served as a toastmasters, delivering speeches and organizing conferences, webinar.
Throughout her career, Zaahirah has been recognized and was awarded the “Woman of the Year” a testament to her dedication and impact in her respective field. She also received, “The Leonardo Da Vinci – universal Award in Florence. Zaahirah’s talent and commitment to her craft were further recognized when she was named “Artist of the Year” in 2016 during the Ras Al Khaimah Fine Art Festival, and she has received the “Oscar de la Jeunesse” in Artistic Pursuit in Mauritius, solidifying her position as a prominent figure in the arts and cultural landscape of her home country.
