Zaam Arif, born in 1999 in Karachi, Pakistan, is a largely self-taught artist who currently lives and works in Houston, Texas. Both of his parents are painters, and he received his artistic training within a family environment. Arif’s painting practice is deeply influenced by philosophy and literature, and has evolved into an introspective exploration of the human experience. Through the relationship between figures and their surrounding environments, he constructs narrative scenes charged with psychological tension. In recent years, Arif has held solo exhibitions in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Pakistan, and has participated in numerous international group exhibitions. In 2021, his work was featured in The New Yorker, making him one of the youngest Pakistani artists to be published by the magazine. In the same year, he was awarded the Malamegi Lab Research Grant in Italy, and in 2023 he completed a residency at La Brea in Los Angeles.