Meet Jamshed Irani

A multi-disciplinary artist born in Karachi, Pakistan and now living in Toronto, Canada, I have a passion for creating art across various mediums and bridging disciplines rooted in both Eastern and Western tradition. 

Pronounced “Jum-shade,” my art career began in earnest in Karachi where I attended Iqra University to pursue my bachelor's in fashion design. While studying haute couture womenswear, I also minored in fine arts, learning from the well-renowned Pakistani artist, A.Q. Arif. I mastered traditional art mediums and illustration, while also developing my love for intricate detail, form and composition. 

It was also here where I learned to work with tarcoal (or coal tar), a byproduct of the industrial process for making asphalt which can also be used as an art medium. Tarcoal has a "chiaroscuro" effect, providing me with the ability to explore texture and depth using dark shades. When combined with the intricate detailing I give to my subject-matter, tarcoal provides an emotional layer to what I create.

My art also celebrates the stories, mythologies and peoples of my heritage as a member of the Zoroastrian community. My ancestors fled from Iran and Central Asia to the Indian Subcontinent starting in the 8th century CE. As a result I find that my work is heavily influenced by modern and ancient Iranian art, as well as the rich artistic traditions of Sindh, Gujarat, and elsewhere in South Asia where the Zoroastrian diaspora has historically resettled for over a millennium.

Fast-forward to 2020 in Toronto, the global pandemic accelerated my plans for launching my art career as a modern-day polymath artist, as I continue to adapt both traditional and modern-day mediums to my repertoire.