Curriculum Vitae

Outline of education and professional timeline

Education

1990 Post Graduate ~ Alternative Media, Chelsea College of Art, London, UK

1984 Graduation ~ Graphic Design, National College of Arts, Lahore, Pakistan.

Practice

Artist/Director AliZaidiArts 2012 – present

Artistic Director motiroti 2004 – 2012

Co-Founder/Co-Artistic Director motiroti 1996 – 2004

Lecturer Photography at National College of Arts, Lahore, Pakistan 1987-88

Designer/ Art Director at Midas Advertising, Lahore, Pakistan 1984-87

Most of these are motiroti projects and productions, unless otherwise credited

2019

  • Fluid A group show presented by Human IEU. Eleven artists created works in response to this theme challenged, provoked and engaged viewers in a collection incorporating drawing, painting, video, sculpture, photography, and performance. Exhibited at Espacio Gallery, London.

2018

  • That Shadow of a Shadow Inaugural exhibition of the artist collective Human Intensive Enquiry Unit (Human IEU) — contemporary scrutiny of the body through life-drawing, at Old Brompton Gallery, London.
  • BrOther Hosted by AndroTechne – a collective of male artists, the group show explored the title theme, producing a range of both emotional and personal responses, reflecting the artist’s backgrounds and life experiences, hosted at Menier Gallery, London

2016

  • Kadvi Hawa Indian Hindi language drama film focussed on drought and water scarcity, directed by Nila Madhab Panda, received much international recognition and a national award. Creative Producer

2015

  • Mas(k)culinities Presented the project in progress as part of a focus week, in a lecture format to academics and students. Invited by DAMS, University of Turin.
  • Social Cohesion Days Creating conversations and cooking for a Festival of Social Cohesion Chef/Social Animator Commissioned by Foundation EasyCare, Reggio Emelia, exploring new models of policies and actions of social cohesion in Italy, Europe and worldwide. Watch Video

2014

  • I AM… memoirs of addiction recovery Exploring diverse Euro Cutural experience of recovery using self-portraiture, photography and video. Artist/ Director Commissioned by PORe; UK, Gruppo Incontro and FeDerSerd; Italy and Turkish Green Crescent Society. Watch Video
  • Nomadi A portrait of coffee, rice and wheat, Nomadi, is an homage to migration and culture. The gallery audiences to explore multiple narratives nestled within the grains. Using Isadora and Arduino together, this interactive multimedia work consisting of over 50 videos is activated by visitors. Concept/Artistic Director Commissioned by Officine Sintetiche and shown at Parci Arte Viventi, Turin, Italy. More info

2013

  • Food 4 Thought Commissioned by motiroti as part of MultiWalks, a free art app for smart phones MultiWalks helps navigate London, Oslo and Reggio Emelia. Food 4 Thought allows Waterloo Lower Marsh to be seen through the eyes of local independent business owners as they share their journeys and stories. Artist More info

2012 

  • Feast: Radical Hospitality in Contemporary Art In collaboration with Potluck: Chicago, Concept, design and artwork co-creator, within a major touring exhibition curated by Chicago’s Smart Museum. A timely exploration of how artists are using shared experiences with food and drink to spark new encounters. Smart Museum, Chicago – Feb-June 2012, Blaffer Art Museum, Texas – fall 2013, SITE Santa Fe, New Mexico – winter 2014.
  • Potluck: Chicago A residency at Columbia College, using food and culture sharing workshops as an invitation to explore community building and ‘creative placemaking’. Diverse communities of Chicago were invited around the table to break bread, exchange ideas and develop new relationships. Critical Encounters, Righs Radicals + Revolutions. Concept and Artist-in-residence at Columbia College Chicago More Info

2009 -11 

  • Journeys of Love and More Love A live installation with edible interludes. Immersive performance with video projections, autobiographical and documentary stories charting migrations, love and metaphorically and physically breaking bread together. Writer/Director/Performer 2009 – presented in co-production with Napoli Teatro Festival, Italy. 2010 – Lillian Baylis Studio, Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London. 2011 – Meat Market, Melbourne International Arts Festival, Australia. Gallery Theatre, National Museum of Singapore. More Info

2008 -10

  • 60×60 Secs One-minute film commissions from Britain India Pakistan. Sixty artists, twenty from each country were commissioned to create their unique perspective on home and identity in an age of globalization. Concept & Artistic Director/Artist The films have been screened at Art Dubai, extensively in UK, India and Pakistan. Aicon Gallery New York, Singapore, Turin, Berlin and Sydney. More Info

2007

  • Cooking with Love A live performance exploring food as a cultural bridge. Presented at the LiteSide Festival, Amsterdam. Director/Performer More InfoWatch Video
  • Harvest it! A festival of autumn delights; for the second in the series of cross-cultural/cross-generational live events in Myatt’s Fields Park, South London. Director/Artist More info Developed in collaboration with home.

2006

  • Priceless Multi-sited video and graphic installations working with national museums and communities to elaborate the meaning of the word ‘priceless’ in different contexts. Concept & Artistic Director/Artist More info Commissioned by the Serpentine Gallery, the Exhibition Road Cultural Group and Platform for Art.
  • Light it! A festival of light; a cross-cultural/cross-generational live event in Myatt’s Fields Park, South London. Director/Artist More info Developed in collaboration with home.
  • Rich Mix Cinemas Interior design of two cinemas for Rich Mix, an art centre in London’s East End referencing and reflecting the rag trade industry of the neighbourhood. Concept and Design More info

2005

  • Cutout A video triptych filmed in six cities of the world, invoking the sensory overload of contemporary urban experience. Director. More info. Created in collaboration with dbox.

 2004 

  • Cooked with Love A live culinary event dedicated to the 45th wedding anniversary of Ali Zaidi’s parents. Director/Performer/Chef Watch Video Commissioned by home.
  • Fresh Asian A DVD version of a piece from Fresh Masaala (2000), which toured South Africa for a year as part of the exhibition A Place Called Home. More info.

2002 / 03 

  • Mix & Match A one night live intervention in a club highlighting our contemporary urban existence where cultures, styles and rhythms are mixed beyond categories. Director Presented at Brancaleone in Rome as part of the Romaeuropa Festival. More info
  • The Red Shawl A video triptytch showing a century-old red shawl as a morphing drape on the bodies of different men, digitally projected on the façade of Phoenix Arts. Commissioned by The City Gallery, Leicester for ‘Fold – Drapery in contemporary visual culture’. Artist Watch video
  • Alladeen A cross media performance, a music video and website www.alladeen.com The production toured nationally and internationally and the Alladeen performance received an OBIE award in 2004. Design/Director website/music video A co-production with The Builders Association Conceived by Keith Khan, Marianne Weems and Ali Zaidi
  • Neutering the Mother Tongue A compilation of interviews from Bangalore call centres, exhibited at the Whitney Museum, New York in The American Affect. Interviewer/videographer Presented in collaboration with The Builders Association.

2001 

  • Fresh Asian A solo exhibition using live participation and digital projections. Initially part of Fresh Masaala (2000), the artwork evolved at every outing as people donated their images to create the ultimate iconic Asian face. Presented at The Lab, San Francisco.
  • Swaraj in Focus A live intervention at 93 feet East, photographing the clubbers on the night to create a morphed ‘super clubber face’ with digital projections and prints. In collaboration with Swaraj. More info

2000 

  • Fresh Masaala A project redefining the ‘British Asian’ tag. Informed by material, dialogues, images and sounds gathered from participants who defined themselves as Asian, installations were created by three artists using digital media. Presented at Meade Gallery, Warwick Arts Centre. Director/Artist More info
  • Reality Bytes An educational project working with young Asian women, creating short interactive films for web. Director/Facilitator Commissioned by NOW Festival, Nottingham.

1995 

  • The Seed The Root A series of site-specific installations, performances and guided walks around Brick Lane and Spitalfields. Working with local and international artists from multiple disciplines. Director/Artist More info
  • Rising A site-specific sculptural installation commissioned by Music Village as part of their season at the October Gallery. Artist Commissioned by October Gallery

1993 

  • Chaytantra A short fable of a film using models and live animation. Commissioned by the Arts Council’s Black Arts Video Award. Director More info
  • Captives An installation using text, calligraphy, live fish, photography and embroideries to elaborate the meaning of captivity. Co-Lead Artist Commissioned by Walsall Museum and Art Gallery. More info
  • Moti Roti Puttli Chunni The first Bollywood Musical in UK, commissioned by Theatre Royal Stratford East. The production received a Time Out London, Dance and Performance Award. Co-Project Leader and Collaborating Artist More info

1991 

  • Colours of Asia A celebration of Asian diversity aggregating fine arts, film, photography and performance work by artists spanning the continent. Curator/Director Co-produced with Theatre Royal Stratford East, Black Arts Gallery and Tom Allen Centre. More info
  • Family Large-scale exterior installation incorporating life size hand-tinted photographic sculptures, text and performance, commissioned by Broadgate Estates.  Lead artist with Keith Khan. More info

1990 

  • Jashan-e-Bahar A Pakistani spring festival. Installation at Greenwich Citizens Gallery and a customised double decker bus constructed in popular truck style from Pakistan. Co-designed with Keith Khan. More info
  • Re-dress A solo photographic installation exploring gender and identity. Commissioned by Open hand Studios, Reading.