hiba schahbaz the garden 2743767
Hiba Schahbaz is the subject of her first major museum retrospective, "The Garden," at the Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami. Curated by Jasmine Wahi, the exhibition features 80 works spanning 15 years, tracing the artist's evolution from traditional Indo-Persian miniature painting in Lahore to her current large-scale practice in Brooklyn. The show highlights her recurring use of the female nude—often a stylized self-portrait—navigating mystical landscapes filled with Sufi poetry, mythical creatures, and art historical references.
The retrospective marks a significant milestone for Schahbaz following high-profile solo shows at Almine Rech and public commissions at Rockefeller Center. By blending the meticulous techniques of miniature painting with Western art historical tropes like the Odalisque or Manet’s Olympia, Schahbaz reclaims the female gaze and body. The exhibition underscores her role in contemporary art as a bridge between Eastern traditional craftsmanship and Western figurative narratives.