Soraya Zaman’s art practice centers exploring concepts of identity and the nuanced intersections of personal and collective narratives, through intimate portraiture, still life, and experimentation throughout photographic mediums. As one of two artists selected for SoMad’s inaugural Artist Residency program, Soraya delved into still life and mixed media, pushing their artistic boundaries and integrating sculptural elements into their work. Their current series, PRIME, reflects a refined engagement with materiality and form, offering a socially resonant perspective on contemporary visual art.

Soraya Zaman subverts still-life photography through a process of crystallization and resin, transforming photographs into sculptural objects. Exploring the liminal space of the photograph and its refusal for constraint or definition resonates with their identity as a non-binary artist. By selecting subjects like moldy fruit–symbols of decay and transformation– Zaman challenges traditional perceptions of beauty. Familiar forms are abstracted and reimagined, emerging beyond preconceived notions, revealing new, layered meanings. Zaman’s hand, both literally and figuratively, recurs as a self-portrait throughout their work–an imprint of the artist’s presence, tracing each piece’s journey from photograph to sculptural object, and embodying the tactile intimacy of their practice.