Bliss and other works: Saima Kaur

We first came across Saima Kaur in deepest winter 2021. Her work was magical, joyful and saturated with colour, her exquisite embroideries captivating us with their storytelling  - we were immediately hooked. 

Saima’s work is sought after so we were honoured and thrilled when she agreed to our commission. We and she thought that each individual work within the series could be a small richly embroidered detail of a bigger whole. A whimsical fairground became the unifying theme and each embroidery a tiny vignette showcasing an individual performer. 

Saima is constantly inspired by the images of old Phulkaris in her studio. Creating this collection was an opportunity for her to create her own fairground characters in a style that marries the folk and contemporary. Each character is set in a traditional landscape of leafy branches, a sky full of stars or richly decorated tents with flags and spikes. But in Saima’s world it is the women who breathe fire, walk on tightropes, balance on a stack of balls and take centre stage. The works are immaculately executed but once again it is the story telling that steals the show. 

November 2022