Night Time Stories

Salma Arastu: Bridging Cultures Through Line and Spirit

Salma Arastu (born 1950, Rajasthan, India) stands as a singular figure in contemporary art—a woman artist whose globally informed perspective seamlessly blends the traditions of her Indian heritage with the contemplative ethos of Islamic spirituality. Her artistic journey began at Maharaja Sayajirao University in Baroda, where she honed her skills in fine arts, grounding herself in both Hindu and Sindhi cultural contexts. This formative experience instilled a lifelong fascination for exploring the intersection of faith and creativity, shaping her distinctive approach to artmaking. Moving to the United States in 1986, Arastu embraced new landscapes while retaining her core artistic sensibilities. Raised in a multicultural environment, she carries within her the echoes of diverse influences—from Persian miniatures to Californian landscapes—which enrich her visual vocabulary. Her dedication to fostering harmony and expressing universal human experience is palpable throughout her oeuvre, evident in her paintings, sculptures, calligraphy, and poetic explorations. Arastu’s artistic practice has been marked by a consistent pursuit of excellence and engagement with significant cultural dialogues. Exhibiting her work internationally for over forty-five years—spanning India, Iran, Kuwait, Germany, and the United States—she has garnered recognition from esteemed institutions such as the State Museum of Art, Harrisburg; PA; Museum of Modern Art, Hyderabad; India; Museum of Contemporary Religious Art, St. Louis, Missouri; Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA; 9/11 Memorial Museum, New York, NY; Islamic Museum of Australia, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Stanford Art Spaces and Radford University—demonstrating a commitment to sharing her artistic vision with audiences worldwide. Her exhibitions have been held in notable places e.g. stanford art spaces, stanford university, art museum, radford university. Her work has earned several awards for its originality and depth, including grants from the East Bay Community’s Fund for Artists (2012, 2014 & 2020); City of Berkeley’s Individual Artist Grant Award (2014, 2015 & 2016). These accolades underscore her dedication to artistic innovation and her contribution to fostering cultural understanding. Furthermore, Arastu's involvement with calligraphy—particularly for the American Muslim community—highlights her desire to connect artmaking with social responsibility. Inspired by the imagery, sculpture, and writings of her Indian heritage and Islamic spirituality, she uses her artistic voice to break down the barriers that divide to foster peace and understanding. At birth, Ms. Arastu was given the life-defining challenge of a left hand without fingers—a circumstance that profoundly shaped her worldview and fueled her determination to transcend perceived limitations. Seeing the unity of an all-encompassing God, she could transcend the barriers often outlined in the traditions of religion, culture, and the cultural perceptions of handicaps. Her studies and experiences greatly influence her work in different cultures worldwide. After graduating in Fine Arts from Maharaja Sayajirao University in Baroda, India, she lived and worked in Iran and Kuwait, where she was exposed to a wealth of Islamic arts and Arabic calligraphy. Calligraphy, miniatures, and the folk art of Islam and the Hindu tradition continue to influence her work today. She was invited to Germany twice, first as a Resident Artist in 2000 at Schwabisch Gmund. Again in the Spring of 2011, the Westphalia Wilhelm University in Münster, Germany, invited me to publish my paper “Art Informed by Spirituality” in the publication on the International Symposium: ‘God Loves Beauty: Post Modern Views on Religion and Art. I have presented my work and given talks at Stanford University, Commonwealth of San Francisco, Seattle University, Graduate Theological Union at Berkeley, and the Museum of Contemporary Religious Art, St. Louis, Missouri. She was invited to Morocco for a one-month Artist Residency Program in March of 2018 through Green Olives art Gallery. As a visual artist, she has had 45 solo shows nationally and internationally and has won several prestigious awards, including the East Bay Community’s Fund for Artists in 2012 and 2014, and 2020. The City of Berkeley’s Individual Artist Grant Award in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Her public art pieces on display in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and San Diego, California. She has also written and published five books on her art and poetry, including my recent one with ecological consciousness from Quranic verses “Our Earth: Embracing All Communities.” Her artistic practice has been marked by a relentless pursuit of excellence and engagement with significant cultural dialogues. Her dedication to fostering harmony and expressing universal human experience is palpable throughout her oeuvre—evident in her paintings, sculptures, calligraphy, and poetic explorations. She strives to capture the essence of human experience through evocative imagery and meticulous craftsmanship, drawing inspiration from both Eastern spirituality and Western painting techniques. Through contrasting elements within her work, she seeks unity and balance, reflecting a profound appreciation for cultural heritage and artistic innovation.