BIOGRAPHY
Aadila Munshi is a Toronto-based contemporary artist known for her abstract calligraffiti paintings and metal sculptures, where writing functions as both drawing and abstraction. She uses stroke, pressure, repetition, and movement to create unique forms with no linguistic meaning.
Her visual vernacular is shaped by her own formative influences and personal interests. Her approach to art developed alongside her study of hands in constant use at home: maternal pursuits of sewing, embroidery, cake decorating, and cooking, and the attention to meticulous handwriting tied to daily work and responsibility. The lasting impression of working hands that make and write with excellence compels her work today. Her particular interest in graffiti and urban culture informs the distinct street-inspired aesthetic of her work.
The Inner Poetry series is an ongoing collection that articulates her perspective through a consistent asemic script. The series continues to expand as she further establishes her perspective through accumulated practice and sustained exploration of form.
She trained as a Criminologist at the University of Cape Town and switched careers after moving permanently to Canada. With over thirty years of painting experience, Aadila’s work is held in private and corporate collections worldwide, including several major commissions for The Daniels Corporation in Canada. Her largest corporate commission installation—two 14 x 8 ft paintings—is permanently housed in the lobby of the Lighthouse East Tower in Toronto.
Based in Toronto, Canada, Aadila works with collectors, galleries and curators who seek authentic, contemporary abstract art that embodies both cultural depth and visual elegance.
Artist Statement
I experienced apartheid, its demise, and the first ever free and fair election in South Africa, electing Nelson Mandela as the President. I had the rare privilege to often meet the President and his contemporaries, most notably his Minister of Justice, Dullah Omar, in whose home I was welcomed as family. These legendary giants of the freedom struggle served as my mentors for years, and strongly shaped my views on strength, tolerance, freedom, and humanity. My experience in the socio-political scene was deepened by my work as a Criminologist at the University of Cape Town. My work reflects the influence of the mentors who raised me, and the South African philosophy of Ubuntu that grounds me.