Masuma Halai Khwaja | Photo Credit Abir Abdullah

Masuma Halai Khwaja joins the Mittal Institute this spring as a Visiting Artist Fellow. A visual artist, she explores textiles as a medium to weave together personal memory, diverse histories, and cultural intersections—creating narratives that transcend their origins. Working with fabrics sourced from local flea markets, she integrates embroidery to symbolize the fragmentation of traditions in the face of globalization. Masuma’s artworks have earned her The Excellence Award at the Fiber Art Biennales in China in 2016 and 2020.

Mittal Institute: Welcome, Masuma! Can you tell us more about yourself?

Masuma Halai Khwaja: I graduated with a distinction from NCA Lahore. I have showcased my work at seven solo exhibitions in Pakistan and numerous curated group shows across the globe. My work has been featured at The South Asian American Art Festival, the Fiber Art Biennale China, Nord Art Germany, Dafen Art Biennale Shenzhen, Art Embroidery Biennale Chouzhou, and Material Art Biennale Beijing. I am a founder member and former trustee of the Karachi Biennale. I have also co-authored a book titled ‘Public Art Thriving in Urban Chaos’.

Mittal Institute: What motivates your artistic practice?

Masuma Halai Khwaja: My recent artworks explore pivotal points in South Asian history. Informed by oral accounts, I counter state fed narratives by addressing the psychological and sociological impact of forced migrations on language, dress codes, religion and mindsets. Garments possess the ability to narrate events in culturally relevant contexts. The Sari, Kurta Shalwar and Sherwani have at times been used to over emphasize differences; I instead employ them as receptacles for embedding unaddressed trauma, embroidering into them narratives in running stitch reminiscent of Kantha work traditionally produced by Bengali women. The accounts, though rooted in local context, hold universal relevance.

“Informed by oral accounts, I counter state fed narratives by addressing the psychological and sociological impact of forced migrations on language, dress codes, religion and mindsets.”

Mittal Institute: What excites you most about being at Harvard?

Masuma Halai Khwaja: I am thrilled about being at one of the most prominent universities in the world. I am looking forward to engaging with the esteemed professors and the vibrant student body, attending lectures, and immersing myself in conversations that will enrich my research. I am eagerly looking forward to hopefully having one-on-one sessions with Professors Jinah Kim, Sugata Bose and others, learning from them and discussing the influences that impact my art practice.

Mittal Institute: What do you hope to research during your time at Harvard?

Masuma Halai Khwaja: My recent work revolves around themes of migration, represented by the ocean, as well as languages and garments. I aim to learn more about how oceans can be seen as a unifiers of cultures and also research how Eastern languages have influenced the way different Muslim societies perceive their religion. Looking at Hindi and Urdu as sister languages will help me broaden my perspective in understanding and exploring the different aspects of South Asia’s shared history, and I am eager to see how this will reflect in my artworks in future. The Mittal Institute Mittal is the perfect avenue for me to expand my knowledge and enrich my artistic practice.

☆ The views represented herein are those of the interview subject and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Mittal Institute, its staff, or its Steering Committee.

Masuma’s Gallery of Work