July 26 - September 8, 2024

McKelvey Charitable Fund Gallery

Reception Saturday, August 10, 5-7pm

Woodworking, Textile, Fiber and Design Artist

Nosheen Iqbal's work is a vibrant exploration of color palettes and materials, drawing from her background in design and her Pakistani heritage. Influenced by color theory, midcentury modern furniture design, and Islamic art’s intricate patterns, Iqbal's exhibition "Convergences" symbolizes the convergence of her multicultural upbringing and diverse artistic influences.

Born in Surrey, England, and later moving to Texas during her mid-teens, Iqbal's artistic journey began at an early age sewing and embroidering small remnants of fabric, leaves and textured papers. She earned a BA with outstanding portfolio award in Communication Design from the University of North Texas where she also minored in Textiles and Art History. After graduation, she worked for Fossil for over a decade in design, art direction and finally as a lead watch designer. She has worked for renowned brands such as DKNY and Armani Exchange, and worked with Hermes, creating extraordinary installations for their store window display.

With over a decade of experience in design and art direction, Iqbal's multidisciplinary approach now extends into the realms of product design, illustration, graphic design, and visual art.

In "Convergences," Iqbal will showcase her craftsmanship with delicate threads, dyed rope, semi-precious natural stones, and beads, creating wall-dependent fiber works woven through stained and dyed woods. Iqbal’s work explores the tactile and visual interplay between soft fibers and hard wood, embodying a dialogue between nature and modernity.

The artist’s Pakistani heritage plays a dominate role in her choice of color, pattern and texture of the works which will be on view. Pakistan has a rich history of pigment dyeing and embroidery techniques which varies in each province and dates back further than the Mughal Empire. She is also heavily influenced by the intricate and interlaced patterns found Islamic Art. Taking key elements from the classical tradition, she elaborates upon them in order to invent a new form of decoration and design.