Amidst a Western Neoliberal, globalized society, individuals lose a sense of individuality and attachment to Place. Islamic philosophy proposes a nuanced and effective solution to restore a strong sense of Identity by bringing to light the interconnections between humans, the environment and the Divine. My paintings, print media and multimedia artwork reference Mughal manuscript paintings, Islamic gardens, Quranic verses that personify humans as the land, and cultural textile motifs to explore how an Islamic way of life unites diverse cultures, traditions and topographies. An exploration of how Islam unifies places and people led me to critique colonial and post-colonial ideologies that seek to divide borders, races and cultures. My recent paintings strive to decolonize representations of marginal identities by critiquing colonial species illustrations and colonial fantasy stories of the Mughal Empire, using contorted maps, UV filters and double-portraits to complicate how we see the world.
Education
Honours Bachelor of Art, Specialist in Art and Art History Sep. 2022–Present
University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM)
Advanced Diploma in Art and Art History Sep. 2022–Present
Sheridan College
Exhibitions
Fourth Annual Juried Show of Visual Arts Oct 2024–Jan 2025
Art Gallery of Mississauga
Colour and Form Society's 72nd Open Juried Exhibition Oct–Nov 2024
Etobicoke Civic Centre Arts Gallery
Shelley Peterson Student Art Exhibition 2024 May 2024
Art Museum, University of Toronto, https://artmuseum.utoronto.ca/exhibition/2024-university-
Now Streaming 2024 Feb 2024
Visual Arts Mississauga, https://www.vamresidency.com/hafsa-murtaza1
World of Threads Festival Oct 2023-Jan 2024
CatWalk III Corridor Display, Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre,
Traditions Transformed Oct 2023-Jan 2024
Orillia Museum of Art and History, https://www.orilliamuseum.org/project/tradition-transformed/
Art for the Birds Exhibition Oct 2023
Drawing 2023 Online Juried Slide Exhibition May-July 2023
John B. Aird Gallery, https://airdgallery.org/2023/05/28/drawing-2023/
Project Project Exhibition: Lucky 13 Mar 2023
AA Gallery, Sheridan College; exhibited for Painting I, Sculpture I and Drawing I
Women in Photography Mar 2023
The Glasgow Gallery of Photography, https://www.glasgowgalleryofphotography.com
Now Streaming 2023 Feb 2023
Visual Arts Mississauga at Riverwood, https://www.vamresidency.com/now-streaming-2023
Peel Headquarters Exhibition 2022–2023
Office of the Director of Education
ShowOff! Exhibition and Competition 2022
Alberta University of the Arts (AUArts), Online Juried Exhibition
Portraits of Resilience in I AM HERE: Home Movies and Every Day Masterpieces 2022
Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO)
#MyPandemicStory 2021–2022
Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), Online Submission Exhibition
Nuit Blanche Toronto Exhibition 2020
401 Richmond, Mayfield Secondary School Group Exhibition
Peel Headquarters Exhibition 2019
Fish Fangs and Flowers: Select Works
Fish Fangs and Flowers 2019
Alton Mills Falls Gallery, Mayfield Secondary School Group Exhibition
Bolton Library Shows 2018, 2019
Mayfield Secondary School Group Exhibition
Work Experience
Painting I Teaching Assistant, Art and Art History, Sheridan College May–June 2024
Research Assistant, Visual Studies Department, University of Toronto May 2023–Present
Designer, Mayfield Yearbook Feb–June 2020
Entrepreneur and Head of Production, Canvas Marbled Scarves Dec 2017-May 2018
Awards and Achievements
Honourable Mention, Fourth Annual Juried Show of Visual Arts 2023
Art Gallery of Mississauga
Joseph Alfred Whealy In-course Scholarship 2023
The University of Toronto (UofT)
University of Toronto Scholars Award 2022-Present
The University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM)
Principal's Entrance Award 2022-Present
The University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM)
Regional Arts Program (RAP) Arts Letter 2022
Mayfield Secondary School
Standout Young Filmmaker Award 2018
Walt Disney Family Museum’s Teen Animation Festival International (TAFI), San Francisco
Academic Publications
Murtaza, Hafsa. “Mohammad Iqbal’s Poems Shikwa and Jawab-e-Shikwa: Integrating Islamic March 2024
Education Philosophy’s Sense of Identity, Place and Dialogue into Neoliberal University Institutions.”
Edited by Sheila Batacharya. Writing for University and Beyond: A Journal of First-Year Student Writing
at UTM 3, no. 2 (2024): 16–23. https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/writing/article/view/42920
Art Publications
photoED Magazine: Time Edition (Digital Version) Oct 2024
BUFF Catalogue 2023 Feb 2024
Art and Art History Program Annual Catalogue, Sheridan College and UTM
Drawing 2023 PDF Catalogue May 2023
John B. Aird Gallery, https://airdgallery.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Drawing-2023-Publication_
Mayfield Yearbook 2019, 2020, 2022
Featured Artwork, Designer