Maryam Khan, born in 2000 in Hyderabad, Sindh, is a dedicated and emerging visual artist with a passion for painting. She pursued her undergraduate studies in Fine Arts at the Centre of Excellence in Arts and Design (CEAD), Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET), Jamshoro — now known as Shaheed Allah Buksh Soomro (SABS) University of Art, Design & Heritages, Jamshoro.
Majoring in Painting, Maryam developed a refined command over her medium and honed her creative expression through academic training and personal exploration. Her work reflects both technical proficiency and artistic depth. Throughout her academic journey, she actively participated in numerous art exhibitions, showcasing her evolving style and vision.
Maryam graduated in February 2023 and continues to pursue her artistic practice with ambition and dedication, aspiring to contribute meaningfully to the contemporary art scene.
About the artist
Maryam Khan Visual Artist | Painter
Maryam Khan, born in 2000 in Hyderabad, Sindh, is a dedicated and emerging visual artist with a passion for painting. She pursued her undergraduate studies in Fine Arts at the Centre of Excellence in Arts and Design (CEAD), Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET), Jamshoro — now known as Shaheed Allah Buksh Soomro (SABS) University of Art, Design & Heritages, Jamshoro.
Majoring in Painting, Maryam developed a refined command over her medium and honed her creative expression through academic training and personal exploration. Her work reflects both technical proficiency and artistic depth. Throughout her academic journey, she actively participated in numerous art exhibitions, showcasing her evolving style and vision.
Maryam graduated in February 2023 and continues to pursue her artistic practice with ambition and dedication, aspiring to contribute meaningfully to the contemporary art scene.
Artist Statement – Maryam Khan
Currency holds a universal allure — transcending class boundaries and influencing both the working class and the elite. In everyday life, I witness people relentlessly pursuing money, driven by deep-rooted needs and desires. This constant chase forms the core inspiration for my work.
In my current practice, I use Pakistani currency notes as a conceptual and visual medium to explore the complexities of value, identity, and societal perception. Through deliberate distortion, selective representation, and symbolic manipulation, I challenge conventional notions of perfection and material worth. My work examines how time and cultural dynamics influence our understanding of value, as well as how currency can embody more than just economic exchange — becoming a mirror of societal emotions and ambitions.
By reimagining the Pakistani currency, I reflect on themes of transformation, identity, and the psychological impact of economic systems. These altered notes serve not only as critiques of materialism but also as playful commentaries on the emotions, aspirations, and absurdities that shape people’s relationship with money. Humor becomes a tool to provoke reflection and to question what we assign value to — and why.
Ultimately, my work invites viewers to reconsider the symbolism embedded in everyday objects like currency, sparking conversations about cultural norms, social expectations, and the evolving nature of value in modern society.
