Tahira Noreen MRSS

My work explores movement through maps, and geographical positioning, deeply influenced by my travel experiences. For me, it is both an internal and external journey—which often evokes memories, challenges my sense of time, or transport me into a reflective state. Conversely, it can be an uncharted road journey leading to a distant horizon or an unknown destination.

Carving deep into the flesh of  wasli paper ( a hand-pressed layered card) with a precision cutter, I create marks that are both permanent and entirely unique. Each cut becomes an irreversible gesture, adding an element of spontaneity and commitment to the process that can't be undone or replicated. This process requires focused incisions, inducing a meditative state but also reaching a point of pain and numbness. A square of an inch comprises approximately 150 to 175 blade cuts, creating intricate textures.

 For my wall sculptures, I repurpose wasli paper (a hand-pressed layered card) from previous works, hand-dyeing and cutting it into fine strips, which I then reassemble into layered works. This happens through the exploration of recorded map history, captured as screenshots, making these journeys tangible by bringing them into physical forms that I have reconstructed. These maps evoke the feeling of navigating fragmented memories or solving a puzzle, where the viewer moves through different moments, piecing together elements like flashbacks or a forgotten language.

Ranging from intricate maps, abstract forms and organic abstractions, my works oscillate between movement and stillness and tranquillity and noise.