ARTIST STATEMENT
My works are lyrical, spiritual, layered and flowing, revealing the stories of unity in diversity, hope and connection, celebration of earth and women. The common thread running through my work is that I am seeking oneness among humanity, soil and soul.
Arabic Calligraphy, miniatures, and the folk art are strong influence on my work. I have tried to bring together Eastern spirituality and Western techniques of painting learned over the years. Through contrasting elements in my work, I yearn and search for unity and balance.
I work in a series, and each new series has evolved from the previous series. My most recent exploration looks at mycelia, the great coordinating, underground connection system in forests. Mycelia is my new muse! And for the first time I am adding scientific investigation and research to a project that includes my usual spiritual inquiry and spontaneous explorations of form. My story begins with a line and the lines that I create represent the spiritual energy that emanates from my soul. My method is a physical and meditative process that fills each canvas with moving lines and multi-layered textures.
Apart from painting and mixed media work, I also create sculptures and delve into multimedia projects to create short videos where I bring together my images and poetry. In my studio mysteries are revealed each day and I feel awed and inspired to delve further into the unknown fearlessly and look out for new visions emerging on my canvas.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Salma Arastu is a Berkeley-based multidisciplinary visual artist whose paintings, sculpture, calligraphy, and poetry seek to create harmony by celebrating the universality of human experience. As a woman, artist, and mother, she draws deeply from the imagery, sculpture, and writings of her Indian heritage and the spiritual richness of Islamic tradition. Through her work, she strives to break down the barriers of religion, culture, and perception, fostering peace and understanding across divides.
Born with the life-defining challenge of a left hand without fingers, Salma found strength and vision in the belief in an all-encompassing God. This perspective enabled her to transcend societal limitations, whether shaped by tradition, culture, or physical difference—and to embrace a vision of unity that runs through all her art.
Her artistic voice has been shaped by life and study across continents. After earning her degree in Fine Arts from Maharaja Sayajirao University in Baroda, India, she lived and worked in Iran and Kuwait, where she was immersed in Islamic arts and calligraphy. With over 50 solo exhibitions worldwide, Salma has received numerous honors, including the East Bay Community Foundation’s Fund for Artists Award (2012, 2014, 2020) and the City of Berkeley’s Individual Artist Grant (2014, 2015, 2016). Public Sculptures in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, San Diego, California and Emeryville, California. She is also the author of seven books on her art and poetry, including Our Earth: Embracing All Communities—a work of ecological reflection inspired by Quranic verses—and her recent poetry collection Seeking Oneness: Connecting Humanity, Soil and Soul.
© Salma Arastu