Shahzia Sikander

Shahzia Sikander (born 1969, in Lahore, Pakistan) is a Pakistani artist who works in drawing, painting, animation, large-scale installation, performance and video, on an international stage.

Sikander has held solo exhibitions throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Australia and Hong Kong. She has had solo exhibitions at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (1999/2000) and at the Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago (1998). Her work has been shown in group exhibitions at the Whitney Museum (1999/2000 and 1999), at the Third Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, Brisbane, Australia (1999), and at the Ludwig Museum, Cologne, Germany (1999). Sikander currently resides in New York City although her artistic practice continues to move easily between the borders and boundaries, out of which shifting identities and transnational artists are created.

Sikander studied at The National College of Arts Lahore in Pakistan, where she was taught the traditional discipline of Indo-Persian miniature painting. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1991. Sikander moved to the United States and attended the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), earning a Master of Fine Arts in Painting and Printmaking in 1995.

“Initially I explored the tension between illustration and fine art when I first encountered miniature painting in my late teens. Championing the formal aspects of the Indo-Persian miniature-painting genre has often been at the core of my practice.” - Shahzia Sikander

As an undergraduate student in Lahore, Shahzia Sikander studied the techniques of Persian and Mughal miniature painting, often integrating traditional forms of Mughal (Islamic) and Rajput (Hindu) styles and culture. The traditional form of miniature painting requires equal measures of discipline, gesture and expression in order to execute a careful layering of color and detail. Compositionally, miniature paintings exhibit an extensive display of colorful imagery including, human forms, animals, patterns, shapes, dots and connecting lines. Miniature paintings often engage in contextual complexities such as, religious narrative, scenes of battles and court life. Sikander has integrated the techniques and forms of traditional miniature painting, relying on the layering of images and metaphor to drive her work. Her forms and figures exhibit a quality of continual morphing as transparent imagery is layered, providing a complexity with endless shifts in perception. Sikander’s complex compositions “dismantle hierarchical assumptions and subverts the very notion of a singular, fixed identity of figures and forms.”The increasing approach of continual morphing explains Sikander’s relationship to an ever-changing world where opposing societies coalescently interact.

The Scroll, 1992, is a semi-autobiographical manuscript painting in which Sikander has included formal elements of manuscript painting and simultaneous views of multiple events. The Scroll portrays the intricacies of domestic Pakistani life including rituals that explore cultural and geographic traditions. Many hues, patterns and incidents appear in The Scroll, identifying Sikander’s attention to small detail, muted colour palette and understanding of architectural elements juxtaposed with the intimacies of domestic culture. The use of perspective is increasingly noticeable, exhibiting a linear movement of composition. Common concerns of economics, imperialism, colonialism, sexualism and identity are also apparent in Sikander's early paintings.

Sikander’s attention to detail and formalism assist in the contextualization of her miniature paintings, stemming from an interest in labor, process and memory. Earlier paintings also include elements of Gopi, or the cowherd female devotees and lovers of the deity Krishna in Hindu mythology, while figures of men are depicted as “turbaned warriors.” The Gopi is portrayed in Sikander’s early miniature paintings to "locate visual and symbolic forms within miniature painting that have the potential to generate multiple meanings."Shahzia Sikander’s most significant use of Gopi can be seen in a series of drawings and digital animation from 2003, titled Spinn. In the animation the characters multiply and their hair separates from their bodies, creating an abstracted form of hair silhouettes. Sikander explores the relationship between the present and the past, including the richness of multicultural identities. Integrated with both personal and social histories, her work invites multiple meanings, operating in a state of constant flux and transition.

“Drawing is a fundamental element of my process, a basic tool for exploration. I construct most of my work, including patterns of thinking, via drawing. Ideas housed on paper are often put into motion in the video animations, creating a form of disruption as a means to engage. I also stayed true to layering, a concept running throughout my practice. For the making of video animations, I went back to the fundamental use of ink drawings, crafting form out of color and gouache, scanning and threading them via movement. The breakdown of form also gives a stationary drawing the illusion of transformation, which as a topic has given me a lot of space to experiment and imagine throughout my work.” - Shahzia Sikander

Similarly to her miniature paintings, Sikander relies on the process of layering to create digital animation. Formal elements of technique, layering and movement of the digital animations help to unhinge the “absolute of contrasts such as Western/non-Western, past/present, miniature/scale.” Sikander explains her appreciation for the process of layering in digital animation, allowing the narrative to remain suspended and open for reinterpretation. Sikander is very patient with her work, some taking months, even years to finish. Sikander states; “The purpose is to point out, and not necessarily define. I find this attitude a useful way to navigate the complex and often deeply rooted cultural and sociopolitical stances that envelop us twenty-four hours and day, seven days a week.”

"I think context, location matters a lot. Because location obviously in my situation, it's the space in which the work is going to be exhibited. And since some of the work I do is created onsite, it requires a different type of space, versus the smaller drawings or more subject-oriented work. So that the context becomes important." -Shahzia Sikander

As a female Muslim artist, Shahzia Sikander often had to endure stereotyping among her community. The veil (a scarf often worn by Muslim women) covers the hair and neck and is symbolic of both religion and womanhood. Sikander's miniature paintings often refer to the veil, exploring her own religious history and cultural identity. In a performance piece, Sikander wore an elaborate lace veil for several weeks while documenting the reaction of her peers. Sikander explains that the veil gave her an ultimate sense of security, stating that, "It was wonderful to not have people see my facial or body language, and at the same time be in control and know that they did not know I was acting, and checking their reaction."

Imagines and histories of the traditional Muslim veil occur throughout Sikander's compositions. Her larger works are reminiscent of a centuries-old Indian practice in which women regularly paint figures all over the walls and floors of their houses, using "whole body" gestural movements. Sikander uses large drawings as the basis for her large-scale installations, often requiring months to complete. "Nemesis" a site-specific installation at the Tang Museum, features a jewel-like paintings as small as six by eight inches and two animations.

Solo exhibitions

• 1993- Pakistan Embassy, Washington, D.C., USA
• 1996- Art Celebration 96: Shahzia Sikander, Barbara Davis Gallery, Houston, Texas, USA
• 1996- Knock Knock Who's There? Mithilia, Mithilia Who? Project Row Houses, Houston, Texas, USA
• 1997- A Kind of Slight and Pleasing Dislocation, Hosfelt Gallery, San Francisco, California, USA
• 1997- Murals and Miniatures, Deitch Projects, New York, New York, USA
• 1998- Shahzia Sikander: Drawings and Miniatures, The Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
• 1998- Shahzia Sikander, The Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
• 1999- Directions: Shahzia Sikander, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C., USA
• 2000- Acts of Balance, Whitney Museum of American Art at Philip Morris, New York, New York, USA
• 2001- Intimacy, ArtPace, San Antonio, Texas, USA
• 2003- SpiNN, Brent Sikkema, New York, New York, USA
• 2003- Drawing to Drawing, Hosfelt Gallery, San Francisco, California, USA
• 2004- "Contemporary Links: Shahzia Sikander." San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego, California, USA
• 2004- Shahzia Sikander: Flip Flop, San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego, California, USA
• 2004- Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, Connecticut, USA
• 2004- Shahzia Sikander: Nemesis, The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York, USA
• 2005- Miami Art Museum, Miami, Florida, USA
• 2005- ‘Dissonance to Detour,’ Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, California, USA
• 2005- "51 Ways of Looking," Brent Sikkema New York, New York, USA
• 2006- "Shahzia Sikander: New Work," Sikkema Jenkins & Co. New York, New York, USA
• 2006- Fabric Workshop & Museum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
• 2006- Shahzia Sikander, Taipei Biennial, Taipei, Taiwan
• 2006- Valentina Bonomo Arte Contemporanea, Rome, Italy
• 2006- Shahzia Sikander, in collaboration with The Fabric Workshop and Museum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA April 17-June 17
• 2007- Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin, Ireland
• 2007- Shahzia Sikander, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, Australia
• 2008- ‘Intimate Ambivalence,’ IKON Gallery, Birmingham, UK
• 2008- Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, UK
• 2009- ‘Stalemate.’ Sikkema Jenkins & Co. New York, New York, USA
• 2009- Shahzia Sikander Selects: Works from the Permanent Collection,’ Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum. New York, New York, USA (Curator)
• 2009- Shahzia Sikander ‘I am also not my own enemy’, Pilar Corrias Gallery, London, UK
• 2011- Shahzia Sikander ‘The Exploding Company Man and Other Abstractions’, Curated by Hou Hanru, San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, California, USA
• 2014- Shahzia Sikander ‘Parallax’, Bildmuseet Umea, Umea, Sweden
• 2015- Shahzia Sikander ‘Parallax’, Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain
• 2016- Shahzia Sikander: Ecstasy As Sublime, Heart As Vector, MAxxi Museum, Rome, Italy

Group exhibitions

• 1994- A Selection of Contemporary Paintings from Pakistan, Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena, California
• 1996- Core Fellows Exhibition 1996, Glassell School of Art, Museum of Fine Arta, Houston, Texas, USA
• 1996- Houston Area Exhibition, Blaffer Gallery, University of Houston, Texas, USA
• 1996- An Intelligent Rebellion, Women Artists of Pakistan, Cartwright Hall, Lister Park, Bradford, England; Rotherham Art Gallery, Rotherham, England
• 1997- Biennial Exhibition, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, New York, USA
• 1997- Biennial International for Sculpture and Drawing, Caldas da Rainha, Portugal
• 1997- Out of India: Contemporary Art of the South Asian Diaspora, Queens Museum of Art, Flushing, Queens, New York, USA
• 1997- Three Great Walls, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, California, USA
• 1997- Selections Spring ‘97, The Drawing Center, New York, New York, USA
• 1997- Project Painting, Lehman Maupin Gallery, New York, New York, USA
• 1998- Hedge: Between Time and Intent. Thomas Healy, New York, New York, USA
• 1998- On the Wall, Forum for Contemporary Art, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
• 1998- On Liberating Tradition: Byron Kim, Yinka Shonibare and Shahzia Sikander, Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College, Annandale-On-Hudson, New York, USA
• 1998- Global Vision: New Art from the 90s, Part II, Deste Foundation, Center for Contemporary Art, Athens, Greece
• 1998- Pop Surrealism, Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, Connecticut, USA
• 1998- I Love New York, Ludwig Museum, Cologne, Germany
• 1998- Cinco continentes y una ciudad: Salón internacional de pintura, Museo de la Ciudad de México, Mexico City, Mexico
• 1999- Negotiating Small Truths, Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
• 1999- Beyond the Future: The Third Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, Australia
• 1999- The American Century: Art & Culture 1900-2000, Part II, 1950-2000, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, New York, USA
• 1999- Art-Worlds in Dialogue, Museum Ludwig, Cologne, Germany
• 2000- Greater New York, P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, Queens, New York, USA
• 2000- Drawing on the Figure: Works on paper of the 1990s from the Manilow Collection, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, Illinois, USA
• 2000- Barbara Gladstone Gallery, New York, New York, USA
• 2000- Projects 70, Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York, USA
• 2001- New Artists, Recent Works, Rhotas Gallery, Islamabad, Pakistan
• 2001- 01.1 Rivane Neuenschwander, Shahzia Sikander, Tony Villejo, Artpace, San Antonio, Texas, USA
• 2001- Expanding Tradition: Contemporary Works Influenced by Indian Miniatures, Deutsche Bank Lobby Gallery, New York, New York, USA
• 2001- Threads of Vision: Toward a New Feminine Poetics, Cleveland Center for Contemporary Art, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
• 2001- Elusive Paradise: The Millennium Prize, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
• 2001- ARS 01, Kiasma, Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland
• 2001- Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington, USA
• 2001- Middlebury College Museum of Art, Middlebury, Vermont, USA
• 2001- Conversations with Traditions: Nilima Sheikh and Shahzia Sikander, The Asia Society, New York, New York, USA
• 2002- Urgent Painting, Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris/ARC, Paris, France
• 2002- Time/Frame, Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
• 2002- Drawing Now: Eight Propositions, Museum of Modern Art, Queens, New York, USA
• 2002- AOP 2002: The 37th Art on Paper Exhibition, Weatherspoon Art Museum, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
• 2003- Drawing the World: Masters to Hipsters, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
• 2003- Aliens in America: Others in the USA, Lamont Gallery, Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire, USA
• 2003- Poetic Justice, Eighth International Istanbul Biennial, Istanbul, Turkey
• 2004- Williams College Museum of Art, Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA
• 2004- Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
• 2004- Louisiana State University Museum of Art, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
• 2004- Beyond East and West, Krannert Art Museum, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Champaign, Illinois, USA
• 2004- Along the X-Axis: Video Art from India and Pakistan, Apeejay Media Gallery, New Delhi, India
• 2004- Watercolor Worlds, Dorsky Gallery, New York, New York, USA
• 2004- Anywhere but here-Seven artists Permanent Commissions for Barts and The London Breast Care Center
• 2004- Through Master's Eyes, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, California, USA
• 2004- First International Biennial of Contemporary Art-The joy of my dreams, Charterhouse of Santa Maria de las Cuevas, Seville, Spain
• 2004- The Print Show, Exit Art, New York, USA
• 2005- Fatal Love: South Asian American Art Now, Queens Museum of Art, Queens, New York, USA
• 2005- New Work/ New Acquisitions, Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York, USA
• 2005- Zeitsprunge Raumfolgen, IFA: Institut fur Auslandsbeziehungen, Berlin, Germany
• 2005- ‘Drawing Narrative,’ College of Wooster Art Museum, Wooster, Massachusetts, USA
• 2005- New Work/ New Acquisitions, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York, USA
• 2005- ‘Always a little further,’ Curated by Rosa Martinez, 51st International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia, Venice, Italy
• 2005- ‘Translation’, Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France
• 2006- ‘Nuevos Misticos/New Mystics’ Instituto Cabrera Pinto, La Laguna. Tenerife, Spain
• 2006- ‘SpiNN,’ Video Venice section of the Adelaide Festival of the Arts, Adelaide, Australia
• 2006- ‘Shahzia Sikander,’The Fabric Workshop and Museum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
• 2006- ‘Without Boundary: Seventeen ways of Looking,’ Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York, USA
• 2006- Domains of Wonder: Masterworks of Indian painting,’ Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
• 2006- Dirty Yoga: 2006 Taipei Biennial," Taipei, Taiwan
• 2007- The Travelling Gallery, Edinburgh – UK too early for vacation,’ Limerick, Ireland
• 2007- ‘New Media/New Materials: Highlights in Contemporary Art from the Fabric Workshop Museum,’ Contemporary Art Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
• 2007- ‘The Quiet in The Land", National Museum, Luang Prabang, Laos
• 2007- ‘Timer 01/Intimacy,’ Triennale Bosvisa, Milan, Italy
• 2007- ‘In Wonderland,’ Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
• 2007- Don’t Look: Contemporary Drawings from an Alumna’s Collection (Martina Yamin, class of 1958) Davis Museum and Cultural Center, Wellesley, Massachusetts, USA
• 2007- ‘Shahzia Sikander, Kara Walker,’ Fundacion ICO, Madrid, Spain
• 2007- ‘Take 2: Women Revisiting Art History,’ SFMoMA, Mills College Art Museum, Oakland, California, USA
• 2007- Global Feminisms, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Contemporary Art at The Brooklyn Museum of Art, Brooklyn; Davis Museum and Cultural Center, Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts, USA
• 2007- ‘Cosmologies,’ James Cohen Gallery, New York, New York, USA
• 2007- ‘Not For Sale,’ PS1, Long Island City, New York, USA
• 2008- ‘ev+a 2007 ‘Delicatessen,’ University Galleries, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, USA
• 2008- ‘The Big Bang.’ Museo Carlo Bilotti, Rome, Italy
• 2008- Order. Desire. Light. : An Exhibition of Contemporary Drawings,’ Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin, Ireland
• 2009- Compass in Hand: Selections from the Judith Rothschild Foundation Contemporary Drawings Collection, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York, USA
• 2009- A Decade of Contemporary American Printmaking: 1999-2009, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
• 2009-‘It’s fine as long as you draw but don’t film’, Pilar Corrias Gallery, London, UK
• 2009- Significant and Insignificant Events, Istanbul Modern, Istanbul, Turkey
• 2009- Moving Perspectives: Shahzia Sikander and Sun Xun, Sackler Gallery, The Smithsonian, Washington D.C., USA
• 2009- The 4th Fukuoka Asian Art Triennale, Fukuoka, Japan
• 2009- Something About Mary, Gallery Met, New York, New York, USA
• 2009- Taswir: Pictorial Mappings of Islan of Modernity, Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin, Germany
• 2010- Transformation, Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Japan
• 2010- By Day, By Night, or some (special) things a museum can do: An Exhibition in two time zones, Rockbund Museum, Shanghai, China
• 2011- Sift, Rift, Drip, Shift, Sikkema Jenkins & Co., New York City|New York, New York, USA

• 1992- Distinction Award, Thesis Project, National College of Arts, Lahore
• 1992- Haji Sharif Award, (excellence in Miniature Painting) National College of Arts, Lahore
• 1993- Shakir Ali Award/Kipling award, (highest merit award) National College of Arts Lahore
• 1993-95- Graduate Fellowship Award, Rhode Island School of Design
• 1995-97- Core Fellowship, Glassel School of Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
• 1997- The Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Award
• 1998-99- The Joan Mitchell Award
• 1999- South Asian Women's Creative Collective Achievement Award
• 2003- Commendation Award, Mayor's Office, City of New York
• 2005- Jennifer Howard Coleman Distinguished Lectureship and Residency
• 2005- Tamgha-e-imtiaz, National Medal of Honor, Government of Pakistan
• 2006-11- John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Fellowship
• 2006- Young Global leader, World Economic Forum
• 2007 - 2008- Artist-in-residence, Daad program (Berliner Kunstlerprogramm, Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst)
• 2008- Performing and Visual Arts Achiever of the Year award presented by the South Asian Excellence Awards, 2008
• 2009- The Inaugural Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center Creative Arts Fellowship
• 2012- Medal of Art, US State Department

• 1994- Sirhandi, Marcella, A Selection of Contemporary Paintings from Pakistan. (Exhibition Catalogue) Pasadena, California: Pacific Asia Museum, 1994
• 1994- Hashmi, Salima and Niva Poovaya-Smith, An Intelligent Rebellion: Women Artists of Pakistan. (Exhibition Catalogue) Bradford, England: City of Bradford Metropolitan Council, 1994
• 1996- Pagel, David. Core Fellows Exhibition 1996, (Exhibition Catalogue) Houston, Texas: Glassell School of Art, Museum of Fine Arts, 1996
• 1997- Phillips, Lisa and Louise Neri, 1997 Biennial. (Exhibition Catalogue) New York: Whitney Museum of American Art, 1997
• 1997- Colpit, Frances, Core Fellows Exhibition 1997, (Exhibition Catalogue) Houston, Texas: Glassell School of Art, Museum of Fine Arts, 1997
• 1997- Farver, Jane. Out of India: Contemporary Art of the South Asian Diaspora. (Exhibition Catalogue) New York: Queens Museum of Art, 1997
• 1997- Schaffner, Ingrid. Project Painting. (Exhibition Catalogue) Lehman Maupin Gallery, 1997
• 1998- Watkin, Mel, On the Wall: Selections from The Drawing Center. (Exhibition Catalogue) St. Louis: Forum for Contemporary Art, 1998
• 1998- Self, Dana. “Shahzia Sikander: Drawings and Miniatures” (Exhibition Brochure) Kansas City, Missouri: Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, 1998
• 1998- Farver, Jane. "Inside and out of India: Contemporary art of the South Asian Diaspora" 1998. Published by the Queens Museum, NY
• 1999- Yeon Kim, Yu, "Fragmented Stories", Five Continents and One City-International Salon of Painting, (Exhibition Catalogue) Mexico City, Mexico, 1999
• 1999- Phillips, Lisa. The American Century: Art and Culture, 1950-2000. (Exhibition Catalogue) New York: Whitney Museum of American Art, 1999
• 1999- Farris Phoebe, "Women Artists of Color", A Bio-Critical Sourcebook to 20th Century Artists in the Americas, Greenwood Press, 1999. ISBN 0-313-30374-6
• 1999- Devji, Faisal. “Translated Pleasures.” Shahzia Sikander (Exhibition Catalogue) 1999 The Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago, ISBN 0-941548-42-2
• 1999- Carlozzi, Annette DiMeo. Negotiating Small Truths. (Exhibition Catalogue) Austin, Texas: Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art, The University of Texas, 1999
• 1999- Bhabha, Homi. “Chillava Klatch: Shahzia Sikander interviewed by Homi Bhabha.” (Exhibition Catalogue) c. 1999 The Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago, ISBN 0-941548-42-2
• 1999- Gregos, Katerina. Global Vision: New Art from the 90s, Part II. (Exhibition Catalogue) Athens: Deste Foundation, Center for Contemporary Art, 1999
• 1999- Friis-Hansen, Dana. Beyond the Future: the Third Asia-Pacific Triennial. (Exhibition Catalogue) Brisbane, Australia: Queensland Art Gallery, 1999
• 1999- Fletcher, Valerie. (Exhibition Brochure) Shahzia Sikander. Washington DC: Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, 1999
• 2000- Fletcher, Valerie- Art worlds in dialogue, Museum Ludwig, Koln, Dumont Publishers, 2000, ISBN 3-7701-5046-5
• 2000- Boris, Staci. Drawing on the Figure: Works on paper of the 1990s from the Manilow Collection. (Exhibition Catalogue) Chicago: Museum of Contemporary Art, 2000
• 2000- Krug, Margaret. “An Artist’s Handbook: Materials and Techniques,” c. Laurence King Publishing 2007. ISBN 1-85669-523-9
• 2000- Kortun, Vasif. "Fresh Cream", Phaidon Press, c 2000 (ISBN 0-7148-3924-8)
• 2000- Singer, Debra. Shahzia Sikander: Acts of Balance. (Exhibition Brochure) New York: Whitney Museum of American Art at Philip Morris, 2000
• 2001- Sollins, Susan, et al. Art: 21, Art in the 21st Century. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2001. Essay by Lynn M. Herbert. ISBN 0810913976
• 2001- Nemiroff, Diana. "After Arcadia", (Exhibition Catalogue) Elusive Paradise, The Millennium Prize, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, 2001, ISBN 0-88884-720-3
• 2001- Reckit, Helena and Phelan, Peggy "Art and Feminism", Phaidon Press, c 2001 ISBN 0714835293
• 2001- Marino, Melanie, (Essay for Exhibition Brochure) Shahzia Sikander 01.1, ArtPace, San Antonio, TX, Mar 15 – May 13, 2001
• 2001- Marcoci, Roxana, (Interview with SS), Threads of Vision: Toward a New Feminine Poetics. Cleveland Center for Contemporary Art, Cleveland, 2001, ISBN 1-880353-19-9
• 2001- Daftari, Fereshteh, "ARS 01", Exhibition Catalogue, Museum of Contemporary Art, Kiasma, Helsinki, 2001
• 2001- Chambers, Kristin, "Loose Threads", Threads of Vision: Toward a New Feminine Poetics. Cleveland Center for Contemporary Art, Cleveland, 2001, ISBN 1-880353-19-9
• 2001- Desai, Vishakha N. (Interview) “Conversations with Traditions: Nilima Sheikh and Shahzia Sikander,” (Exhibition Catalogue) 2001, ISBN 0-87848-090-0
• 2001- Daftari, Fereshteh, "Projects 70", Exhibition Brochure, MOMA, NYC, Nov. 22, 2002- Mar. 13, 2001
• 2001- Goankar, Dilip Parameshwar, (editor) "Alternative Modernities", Duke University Press, Durham and London, 2001, ISBN 0-8223-2714-7
• 2001- Herbert, Lynn, (Essay) section on spirituality, "Sikander, Turrell, Hamilton, Feodorov", Art: 21, Art in the 21st Century, Harry N. Abrams, Inc. 2001
• 2002- Hoptman, Laura. Drawing Now: Eight Propositions. (Exhibition Catalogue) New York: Museum of Modern Art, 2002
• 2002- Hashmi, Salima, Unveiling the Visible, Lives and Works of Women Artists of Pakistan, Published by Actionaid, Pakistan, 2002, ISBN 969-35-1361-4
• 2002- Falguieres, Patricia, 134 Views of the World, Urgent Painting, (Exhibition Catalogue) ARC, Musee d'art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, 2002
• 2002- Contemporary Art Commissions at the Asia Society and Museum, Introduction by Vishaka Desai, Published by the Asia Society, 2002, ISBN 0-87848-091-9
• 2002- Brown, Kathan. "Shahzia Sikander: No Parking Anytime", (Exhibition Brochure) Crown Point Press, SanFrancisco, Spring 2002
• 2002- Antelo-Suarez, Sandra, et al. Urgent Painting. Paris: ARC, Musée d’Art moderne de la Ville de Paris, 2002. (Exhibition Catalogue)
• 2003- Kim, Elaine H., Margo Machida and Sharon Mizoto. Fresh Talk/Daring Gazes. Berkeley, California: University of California Press, 2003
• 2003- Cameron, Dan. Poetic Justice. (Exhibition Catalogue) Istanbul: Istanbul Biennial, Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts, 2003
• 2003- Augaitis, Daina. "For the Record. Drawing Contemporary Life" Published by Vancouver Art Gallery. 2003. ISBN 1-895442-45-1
• 2003- Kim, Elaine H., Margo Machida and Sharon Mizoto. Fresh Talk/Daring Gazes. Berkeley, California: University of California Press, 2003
• 2003- Heller, Nancy, G. “Women Artists” New York: Abbeville Press, 2003
• 2003- Platform Year Report 2003, "Packaged Paradise" Shahzia Sikander, Biennial Exhibition, Sept 20- Nov 16, 2003. Platform Garanti Contemporary Art Center. Istanbul, Turkey
• 2004- Weiss, Rachel, (Essay) 'From Place to Place', "As Long As it Lasts" Published by the Renaissance Society, 2004, ASIN B001377K84
• 2004- Wye, Deborah "Artists and Prints in Context", Artists and Prints, Masterworks from The Museum of Modern Art, Published by MOMA, C-2004, ISBN 0-87070-125-8
• 2004- Szeemann, Harald, "The Joy Of My Dreams" (Exhibition Catalogue) First International Biennial of Contemporary Art, Seville, Spain, Oct 3-Dec5, 2004, ISBN 84-609-2370-3
• 2004- O’Brian, David and Prochaska, David. “Beyond East and West: Seven Transnational Artists” (Exhibition Catalogue) Champaign, Illinois: Krannert Museum of Art, 2004
• 2004- Naef, Silvia, "L'Islam en Debats,” c. Teraedre, Paris, France, ISBN 2-91286820-3 c. 2004
• 2004- H.H. Arnason, "History of Modern Art, 5th Edition" c. 2004 Prentice Hall, INC. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey ISBN 0-13-184069-X, pp 750–1
• 2004- Hertz, Betti-Sue, "Shahzia Sikander: Flip Flop", (Exhibition Brochure) Contemporary Links 2, San Diego Museum of Art, March 27- June 27, 2004
• 2004- Hecker, Judith, Shahzia Sikander, Artists and Prints, Masterworks from The Museum of Modern Art, Published by MOMA, C-2004, ISBN 0-87070-125-8
• 2005- Linton, Meg. “Stockpiling and Dissemination,” Dissonance to Detour (Exhibition Catalogue) c. 2005 Ben Maltz Gallery at Otis College of Art & Design. ISBN 0-930209-10-9 pp. 5–8
• 2005- Marquardt, Janet, and Stephen Eskilson. Frames of Reference: Art History and the World. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2005
• 2005- Dexter, Emma. “Vitamin D: New Perspectives in Drawing” c. Phaidon Press 2005, ISBN 0714845450
• 2006- Blum, Kelly, and Annette DiMeo Carlozzi, ed. “Blanton Museum of Art: American Art Since 1900,” (Exhibition Catalogue) The University of Texas at Austin, 2006
• 2007- Reilly, Maura and Nochlin, Linda, “Global Feminisms,” c. Merrell Publishers Ltd. 2007 in association with the Brooklyn Museum (Exhibition Catalogue) ISBN 978-1-8589-4390-9
• 2007- Paparoni, Demetrio and Mercurio, Gianni. “Timer 01/Intimacy,” Triennale Bosvisa, Milan, Italy. (Exhibition Catalogue). C. Fondazione La Triennale di Milano 2007, Skia Editore, Milano 2007
• 2007- MoMA Highlight since 1980, Museum of Modern Art, New York, D.A.P. 2007, ISBN 978-0-87070-713-1
• 2007- Modern & Contemporary Art at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 2007, ISBN 978-0-917046-80-3
• 2007- Kissane Sean, (Essay), ‘Shahzia Sikander, Irish Museum of Modern Art’, 28 March-7 May 2007, c. Charta press, ISBN 8881586428 pp. 27–32
• 2007- “Don’t Look: Contemporary Drawings from an Alumna’s Collection (Martina Yamin, class of 1958)” (Exhibition Catalogue) 2007 Davis Museum and Cultural Center, Wellesley MA
• 2007- Bishop, Janet. “Take 2: Women Revisiting Art History,” (Exhibition Catalogue) c. 2007 Mills College Art Museum, Oakland, CA
• 2007- Bhabha, K. Homi, (Exhibition Catalogue Essay) ‘Beginning Again’, ‘Shahzia Sikander, Irish Museum of Modern Art’, 28 March-7 May 2007, c. Charta Press, ISBN 8881586428 pp. 35–41
• 2007- Badia, Montse, “Fantasmagoria,” Fundacion ICO, Madrid c. 2007 (Exhibition Catalogue) ISBN 9788493468460
• 2007- Anderson, Kurt. (Interview) “Spectrum: The Lockwood Thompson Dialogues at the Cleveland Public Library,” c.2007 Cleveland Public Library, Cleveland OH ISBN 0-9778917-1-2
• 2007- Yanez, Isabel, “Fantasmagoria,” Fundacion ICO, Madrid c. 2007 (Exhibition Catalogue) ISBN 9788493468460
• 2008- Weinberg, Adam. Momin, Shamim M. ‘Whitney Museum of American Art at Altria: 25 Years’ c. Whitney Museum of American Art 2008 ISBN 978-0-300-13933-4
• 2008- Sarah Kent, “Demons, Yarns & Tales.” The Dairy, London, UK: Nov. 10-22, 2008; The Loft, Miami, FL: Dec. 3-6, 2008. (Exhibition Catalogue)
• 2008- Juncosa, Enrique. ‘Order. Desire. Light. : An Exhibition of Contemporary Drawings,’ c. IMMA Dublin 2008 ISBN 9781-903811-90-0 (Exhibition Catalogue)
• 2008- Heartney, Eleanor. “Art & Today,” Phaidon press 2008 ISBN 9780714845142
• 2008- Guglielmino, Giorgio. How to Look at Contemporary Art (…and like it) 66works from 1970 to 2008.” Umberto Allemandi & Co Publishing, 2008, ISBN 978-88-422-1644-5
• 2008- CORE: Artists and Critics in Residence, c. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston 2008 ISBN 978-0-89090-162-5 p. 112
• 2008- Shpungin, Diana. “Delicatessen.” (Exhibition Brochure) University Galleries, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL: Nov. 9, 2007 – Jan. 26, 2008
• 2009- Stiles, Kristine, and Selz, Peter. (Editors) Theories and Documents of Contemporary Art, University of California Press, 2009. ISBN 9780520202535
• 2009- Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum. Shahzia Sikander Selects: Works from the Permanent Collection. Brochure. New York: 2009