Zarina Hashmi

(1937-2020)

Untitled (Thread & Paper)

Footnotes

Provenance
Property from the Estate of Leo Michaelson.

Zarina's Untitled (Thread and Paper) is a profound exploration of memory, displacement, and identity through an intriguing combination of materials and techniques. Known simply as Zarina, the artist utilised thread and scratch marks on paper to produce a composition that, despite its minimalist aesthetics, resonates with a deep emotional and narrative weight. This work, like much of Zarina's oeuvre, addresses themes of separation, loss, and the search for home, using the language of abstraction to evoke a sense of personal and collective history.

The juxtaposition of thread and scratching is a defining feature of Untitled (Thread and Paper), with each element contributing to a dialogue between surface and depth, presence and absence. Thread, often used in Zarina's works as a stand-in for lines or borders, becomes a tangible representation of connection, continuity, and the act of bridging distances. The fine strands traverse the textured surface of the paper, creating a network of paths that intersect and diverge. This sense of motion and directionality imbued in the thread work can be read as a visual metaphor for the artist's own experiences of migration and transience, suggesting both the physical journey across borders and the psychological navigation of belonging.

The thread's delicate yet purposeful trajectory is set against the stark, interrupted surface of the paper, which is marked by a series of scratches. These scratches are not merely superficial marks but are deeply etched into the paper, creating grooves that disrupt the otherwise smooth expanse. The act of scratching, which involves a degree of violence or force, contrasts sharply with the gentleness of sewing thread into paper. This contrast introduces a palpable tension in the work, alluding to the rupture and trauma associated with displacement and separation. The scratches suggest wounds or scars—traces of history that cannot be erased—while also creating a sense of disruption and fragmentation.

The interplay between thread and scratching also raises questions about the nature of drawing and mark-making. Zarina's practice often involved a reimagining of what constitutes a line—whether it is the drawn line, the stitched line, or the scratched line. In Untitled (Thread and Paper), the thread lines can be seen as soft, pliable drawings that contrast with the rigid, incised lines of the scratches. This duality suggests a dialogue between different forms of expression: one that is constructive, connecting disparate elements (the thread), and one that is destructive, cutting into the surface (the scratching). Together, they speak to the complexities of identity formation, where one's sense of self is built through both connection and rupture, construction and deconstruction.

Leo Michelson, a Texas native and long-time Portlander, was a passionate collector of contemporary art with a strong personal approach to his acquisitions. Since moving to Los Angeles in the 1950s and later settling in Portland, Michelson built an extraordinary collection of over 1,500 works, ranging from emerging American artists of the 1950s to notable figures of the 1990s. Known for his love of eclectic and diverse art styles, his collection reflects his dedication to pieces that resonated with him on a personal level. Throughout his life, Michelson cultivated his passion for the arts, contributing significantly to the American Northwest art scene. He gifted a significant portion of his collection to the Hallie Ford Museum of Art, including works by notable artists such as Rick Bartow, Judy Cooke, Baba Wague Diakite, James Lavadour, D.E. May, and James Thompson.