Partou Zia: Artist's Residency
Exhibition at Tate St Ives, 2003-2

Persian born Zia has lived in Newlyn, Cornwall since 1993, and during her residency at Porthmeor Studios, she was invited to respond to the work of an artist represented in the Tate Collection.

Zia has been inspired by the prophetic writing and illustrations of William Blake, and her work explores a personal journey of self discovery. Through these vibrant, painterly canvases, she draws the viewer into the poetics of her world. The colour and depth of these symbolic works unfold in a cultural, spiritual and philosophical inquiry as Zia explores her existence as an Asian female artist practising in South West England.

In response to Blake's visionary language, Zia’s evocative paintings offer an insight into the human condition.