Canadian artist Narmin Kassam weaves painting, paper and play with layered reflective surfaces in her “painterly paper-infusions” using textured and Japanese decorative paper and different layered paint techniques to create whimsical bouquets of flowers and impactful series of women. She has honed an impressionist style, influenced by Gordon Harrison and Claude Monet, that has organically transformed into a dynamic mix of media. What begins as a multitude of paper pieces forms a colour palette all chosen by the artist in a meditative practice, are finalized into a complete image – something whole and relatable by the viewer. Through the interplay of light, the dance of colour and the textures she employs, Narmin endeavours to invoke emotions and provoke thought. She has found a special affinity for painting on wood panels, which allows her to add an extra dimension to her creations.

Kassam’s convergence of media creates a creative laboratory, a space where light and colour interact with each paper and texture, deliberatively chosen to invite reflection and contemplation on the subject. Through each stroke and every layer, Narmin aims to create an immersive experience, compelling individuals to delve deeper into the narrative she weaves into her work – from empowerment and uniqueness to contemplation and self-discovery.

Over the last few years, Kassam has also taken her unique style to engage people and communities to come together to create vivid, impactful artworks. Each piece of paper placed on the mural represents a diverse palette of colours and textures that create a harmonious mix that reflect the diversity of the community. The mural themes often revolve around the community’s history, culture and aspirations, making the mural a reflection of the people who contribute to it. The pieces of the mural form powerful mosaics that are a testament to the idea that when people come together to create something beautiful, the result is greater than the sum of its parts.

She enjoys creating flowers as they are at once delicate and complex, beautiful and intelligent, vulnerable and resilient. The Blooming Bouquet piece represents the layers of the self, displayed through concentric flowers. Designed as complex spirals, the petals create diversity in depth, shape, tone, and vibrancy. The rugged outer layers represent one’s external armour, then gradually transition to a smoother internal self, offering a portal into the artist’s inner world. Leaves draw in warm, loving energy from the universe. Below, murky waters represent the necessary uncertainty of earthly nourishment. Ultimately, the piece symbolizes the relationship of a being with its sources of life and with itself.

As with all her work, Narmin Kassam brings different elements together to communicate a sense of wonder and contemplation. She does not wish to present the viewer with a realistic interpretation of the subjects in her artworks, but rather to convey the beauty and inspirations which each leaves behind: the beauty of nature, the intricacies of human connection and complexities of our inner selves as her muses.

Narmin Kassam’s work has been exhibited across Canada and can be found in private collections worldwide.

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As with all her work, Narmin Kassam brings different elements together to communicate a sense of wonder and contemplation. She does not wish to present the viewer with a realistic interpretation of the subjects in her artworks, but rather to convey the beauty and inspirations which each leaves behind: the beauty of nature, the intricacies of human connection and complexities of our inner selves as her muses.

Narmin Kassam’s work has been exhibited across Canada and can be found in private collections worldwide.