Shrine Empire Gallery » Fariba S Alam

Bio CV Exhibitions

Lacuna

Education

2004 New York University, M.A. in Studio Art & Art Criticism
1999 Fulbright Scholar, Fellow in Photography, Fulbright Program, U.S. Information Agency
1998 Columbia University, B.A. in Middle East/Asian Languages & Cultures, summa cum laude

Selected Exhibitions

2019
India Art Fair, Shrine Empire, New Delhi
Delhi Contemporary Art Week, Shrine Empire, New Delhi

2015
India Art Fair, Shrine Empire, New Delhi

2014
India Art Fair, Shrine Empire, New Delhi

2011
Art Stage Singapore, Shrine Empire, Singapore
India Art Summit, Shrine Empire, New Delhi

2010
Xu Kong: The Art of Triviality, Art & Shanghai, Shanghai, China: Diana Freundl
Exhibition, Concordia College, Conocordia, NY, curated by Carol Solomon and Aicon Gallery, NY
Mapping Identity, Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery, Haverford College, Haverford, NY, curator: Carol Solomon

2009
Aljira Emerge 10 Exhibition, Aljira, a Center for Contemporary Art, curator: Sarah Reisman
Perspectives: Women, Art and Islam, Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Art & Museum for African Art, curated by Lisa Bender, Kim Gant
India Xianzai, Contemporary Indian, Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai, China, curated by Diane Freundl, Alexander Keefe

2008
Erasing Borders, Contemporary Art in the Indian Diaspora, The Queens Museum of Art, NY, curated by Vijay Kumar, IACC
Erasing Borders, Contemporary Art in the Indian Diaspora, The Guild Gallery, NY, curated by Vijay Kumar, IACC
Erasing Borders, Contemporary Art in the Indian Diaspora, Tabla Rasa Gallery, NY, curated by Vijay Kumar, IACC

2007
Exploding the Lotus, Art and Culture Center of Hollywood, Hollywood, FL, curated by Jane Hart
SAWCC Auction, The Guild Gallery, NYC
Sultana’s Dream, Exit Art, curated by Jaishri Abichandani, NYC
Tributaries, Group exhibition, Albuquerque, NM

2005
Asian American International Film Festival, The Asia Society, NYC

2004
Territories, Gallery ArtsIndia, curated by Dipti Desai, NYC
Voices of Resistance, The Queens Museum, curated by Prerena Reddy, NY
Thesis Show, group exhibition, The Grey Arts Gallery, NYC

2003
Entourage, Kimmel Center, New York University, NYC
Entourage, Education Wing, The International Center for Photography, NYC

2002
Crossing the Line, Queens Museum of Art, curated by Valerie Smith, NY

2001
Shaken & Stirred, BosePacia Modern, jurors Barbara Hunt & Rina Banerjee, NYC

2000
Sweet Beguile, Shiva Gallery, Joseph Papp Public Theater, curated by Neyda Matrinez, NYC
(Un)suitable Girls, group exhibition, curator: Prema Murthy, NYC
Art Benefit for Sakhi, group exhibition, Bose Pacia Modern, NYC

1998
People of the Hills, Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Bound, group exhibition, Postcrypt Gallery, Columbia University, NYC

1997
Celebrating India: Rebirth of a Nation, Portraits of a People, group exhibition, American Museum of Natural History, NYC
Swarajya Celebrating 50 Years of Independence, group exhibition, Gallery 978, NYC

Awards and Residencies
2010 Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, Vermont
2008 Aljira Emerge, Aljira Center for Contemporary Art, Exhibition Program, New Jersey
2007 Artist-in-Residence, David & Julia White Colony, Costa Rica
2004 Dean’s Grant for Master’s Thesis, New York University
1997 Art Alliance Grant, Columbia University

Selected Panels and Artist Talks
2009 MOCADA, Museum of African Art– presentation on Women, Art, Islam panel
2007 Exit Art-presentation on “Sultana’s Dream” panel
2007 10 Years of South Asian Art and Activism,”Kimmel Center, New York University, NYC
2003 Community and Partnerships,” Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
1998 Fourth Annual Asians in America Conference,” Cultural Work, Documentation, Memory Building, New York University, NYC

Selected Community Involvement
2007 Present Sanctuary for Families, Bengali Translation, Volunteer
2005 Sakhi for South Asian Women, Volunteer, Artist for Gala Presentation
1997-2001 South Asian Women’s Creative Collective, Founding Board Member
2006 Present Advisor/Volunteer

Selected Bibliography
The New York Times, A Decade of Emergence, Benjamin Genocchio, August 28, 2009

Fariba S. Alam is a U.S. born artist of Bangladeshi descent who creates installations integrating ceramics, self-portraits and archival photographs. An intended effect of her work is to stimulate dialogue and reflection on the dynamic interplay of Islamic artistic tradition with more present and personal inquiries of gender and belonging.

Simultaneously, religious and secular allegories—with themes of migration, travel and fantasy—often inhabit her narrative influences. For example, several of her works reference the parable of the Night Journey or Mir’aj, in which the prophet Mohammed takes a mystical voyage from Mecca to Jerusalem riding a creature half-angel, half-horse. She investigates the fluidity between the intangible and real, the tension between spiritual transcendence and corporeal immanence, while space and direction are rendered ambiguous.

Alam’s work has been shown at The Queens Museum, The Asia Society, Exit Art, The Museum of African Art, The Museum of Contemporary Art/Shanghai amongst other galleries in the U.S. and Asia. Collections include The Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Modena and the Burger Collection. Fariba holds a B.A. in Middle East and Asian Languages and Cultures from Columbia College, Columbia University. She is the recipient of a Fulbright fellowship (1998/1999) and holds an M.A. from New York University (2004).