Maira’s reverence and respect for the Old Masters came long before being prevalent in each of her works: “I respect the pain and time it took for the traditional old masters and renaissance artists whether it was painting, sculpture or a feat of architecture. Each of my works takes hours, weeks, and often months at a time. Each of which is painstakingly created with layers upon layers of work.”
Maira synthesizes history within the context of modern art and the role of the artist as the creator of experience. The work creates a type of visual sound through composition and color, and the work is made to be listened to. Always an experimental and vigorous artist, Maira’s diverse field of inspiration includes the works of Pakistani painter Ismail Guljee, Michelangelo, and Jackson Pollock.
Audio Credit: Zoldek - Stellamara Persephone
Uniting such influences and experiences, Maira effortlessly convinces the viewer that she has not only perfected her craft beyond the expectations of painting into a mood and dynamic, relating and engaging the viewer in a manner that is more parallel to installation, relating and engaging the viewer in a manner that is more parallel to installation, or sculpture than a 2-dimensional work. In fact, the artist wants her paintings to be an immersive experience, both visually, mentally, and physically. Viewers are encouraged to feel and touch the works in a multisensory experience like never before.
Ever the Renaissance artist, Maira does not simply focus on one area, ever-evolving; her body of artwork goes beyond the historical and architectural terrain and into sociological and ecological themes and issues (while being very much grounded in the idea of what surrounds us). The Movement and Motion works highlight a penchant for monolithic, eccentric, dynamic forms and bursts of color. The works evoke a sense of abundance, a poetry that is only interrupted by brave compositions that suggest something far more ominous, swirling arabesques of color and tone.
Maira is a rare observer free from the restrictions and stereotypes of many artists because she refuses to be limited to one singular style approach, and ever the humble artist, she seeks the experience, the connection, and the story, and not perfection. It is this very ideology that is mirrored in Maira’s Art. Her art is ultimately an evocative, intense, and sometimes surreal symphony of beauty and tension that provides the viewer with meditative explorations of both familiar and foreign realities. As an artist, Maira is incessantly searching for meaning and answers, but most significantly, a keen observer of humanity. She translates her experiences into tangible visions that can be experienced both viscerally, spiritually, and intuitively by the viewers.
As TAI -T ‘UNG famously stated, "Were I to await perfection, my book would never be finished."