XVA Gallery is holding Silence & Noise, a duo exhibition by Pakistani artist Niga Sayyed and Iranian photographer Ali Zolghadri. The show explores the interplay of opposites — silence and noise, minimalism and maximalism, tradition and modernity — and will be open to the public until 17 April 2025.
Ali Zolghadri’s work centres on minimalistic black-and-white photography, embodying silence through space, stillness, and light. His images reduce fleeting moments to their essence and create a sense of calm and contemplation. Meanwhile, Niga Sayyed fuses traditional printmaking with contemporary mixed media, evoking echoes of the past. Her layered, gestural compositions speak to untold stories and collective memory, resonating with the subtle hum of forgotten histories.
About the artists
Niga Sayyed (b. Lahore, Pakistan) is a visual artist and art educator. She obtained her BFA in Printmaking from the National College of Arts (Lahore) in 2004, followed by an MFA in 2018 and a PhD in Fine Arts and Art Conservation in 2022 from the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Art and Design (Wrocław, Poland). She also was a visiting assistant professor at the University of Sharjah.
Sayyed’s practice investigates tensions between conceptual and perceptual approaches and between memory and imagination. Her abstract works reflect her inner interpretations of life, nature, and the intricacies of the human condition. Through dynamic, process-driven layers, she conveys themes of identity, geography, and the female experience. Her compositions provide structure and rhythm, offering solace amidst the chaos of contemporary life.
Sayyed has showcased her artworks in various solo and collective exhibitions, such as the Ras Al Khaimah Art Festival (UAE, 2025); South Asian Contemporary Printmaking Exhibition (Chongqing, China, 2019); the 6th Tokyo International Mini-Print Triennial (Japan, 2018); and Nostalgia (solo) (Alhamra Art gallery, Lahore, 2007), among others.
Ali Zolghadri (b. 1993, Tehran, Iran) is a fine art and conceptual photographer celebrated for his evocative, high-contrast black-and-white imagery. Blending minimalism, surrealism, and visual storytelling, his work explores human emotion and the quiet tension of urban life. Using photo manipulation and compositing techniques, he constructs dreamlike compositions that blur the line between perception and imagination.
Taking cues from Tehran’s urban landscapes, Zolghadri captures fleeting human moments that reflect a longing for peace beneath the city’s surface turbulence. For him, the city becomes a projection of introspective thought: a canvas where internal monologues find form in streets, shadows, and silhouettes.
Zolghadri’s photography has been exhibited across the globe. He has received over 100 international awards, such as Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals at the Tokyo International Photography Awards 2024 and 1st Place at Germany’s Best Photography Awards 2023. He has also been recognised three years in a row in the Top 100 Global Photographers by the WPE World Cup of Photography (2022–2024). Zolghadri’s work has also been featured in leading photography publications, including Art Market Magazine, Lens Magazine, and International Magazine Soul of Street (Germany).
To learn more about Silence & Noise, please go to the official web page of the show.
In addition, you might be interested in viewing General Behaviour by Emirati artist Farah Al Qasimi, one of the virtual exhibitions at the Cultural Foundation.
To stay updated with the latest art news, you can join our Telegram channel.
