Portrait of Zarina

The 23 Most Famous Zarina Paintings, Each One of a Kind

Updated October 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 23 works by Zarina in our catalogue

In short

Home Is a Foreign Place (1999) is the Zarina painting that draws the most eyes; the original belongs to the MOMA - Museum of Modern Art, New York City. After it, the eye goes to Folding House and City- IV (2003). Among the 23 works of Zarina in our catalog, these 23 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.

1937 – 2020, Aligarh Minimalism Most works: Devi Art Foundation

Top 10 paintings by Zarina, through the gallery's eye

1
Home Is a Foreign Place (1999) by Zarina

Home Is a Foreign Place

1999 · Woodblock Print · MOMA - Museum of Modern Art, New York City

“Home Is a Foreign Place,” created in 1999, is more than just a woodcut print; it's a profound meditation on the fractured nature of belonging, exile, and the enduring power of memory. This suite of thirty-six meticulously crafted prints by Indian American artist Zarina Hashmi invites viewers to embark on a visual journey through themes of displacement, borderlands, and the complex relationship between place and identity. Hashmi, deeply influenced by…

3
City- IV (2003) by Zarina

City- IV

2003 · Painting · Devi Art Foundation, Gurugram

In the evocative monochrome landscape of City-IV, the viewer is transported into a meticulously detailed urban expanse that transcends mere architectural documentation. Created in 2003 by the esteemed Indian-American artist Zarina Hashmi, this piece serves as a profound meditation on the structural essence of the cityscape. Through a masterful command of black and white tones, Hashmi strips away the distractions of color to reveal the skeletal beauty and rhythmic complexity…

4
Letters From Home (2004) by Zarina

Letters From Home

2004 · Woodcut · Devi Art Foundation, Gurugram

In the delicate interplay of line and void, Zarina Hashmi’s Letters From Home emerges as a profound meditation on the concept of belonging. This exquisite woodcut print, created in 2004, transcends its physical form to become a cartography of the soul. At first glance, the viewer is met with a complex, almost labyrinthine composition that resembles an architectural blueprint or an ancient map. The work is dominated by a rhythmic…

5
Letters from Home-XI (2004) by Zarina

Letters from Home-XI

2004 · Painting · Devi Art Foundation, Gurugram

In the profound stillness of Zarina Hashmi’s Letters from Home-XI, we encounter more than just an abstract composition; we enter a sanctuary of memory and longing. Created in 2004, this evocative work serves as a visual bridge between worlds, capturing the bittersweet essence of a life shaped by the Partition of India and Pakistan. The piece is not merely an arrangement of marks on a canvas, but a delicate tapestry…

6
Home Is a Foreign Place (1999) by Zarina

Home Is a Foreign Place

1999 · Woodblock Print · MOMA - Museum of Modern Art, New York City

Zarina Hashmi's "Home Is a Foreign Place," created in 1999, isn’t merely a collection of woodcuts; it’s a profound and deeply personal exploration of belonging, displacement, and the enduring power of memory. This portfolio, comprised of thirty-six meticulously crafted prints, stands as one of the artist's most significant achievements, embodying her signature style – a delicate balance between minimalism and richly layered symbolism. Hashmi, born in Aligarh, India, and later…

7
Letters from home-X (2004) by Zarina

Letters from home-X

2004 · Mixed Media · Devi Art Foundation, Gurugram

In the quiet, monochromatic depths of Zarina Hashmi’s "Letters from Home-X," we encounter more than just a visual arrangement; we enter a sanctuary of memory. Created in 2004, this profound work serves as a poignant meditation on the concept of home—not as a fixed geographical coordinate, but as an emotional landscape woven from the threads of connection and loss. The piece is part of a larger, deeply personal narrative exploring…

8
Letters from Home-II (2004) by Zarina

Letters from Home-II

2004 · Painting · Devi Art Foundation, Gurugram

In the delicate interplay of ink and void, Zarina Hashmi’s Letters from Home-II emerges as a profound meditation on the ephemeral nature of belonging. Created in 2004, this evocative work serves as a visual bridge between two worlds, separated by the indelible scars of the Partition. The piece is not merely an arrangement of script; it is a rhythmic, calligraphic dance that captures the ache of separation and the enduring…

9
City-I (2003) by Zarina

City-I

2003 · Print · Devi Art Foundation, Gurugram

In the quiet, monochromatic depths of City-I, created in 2003 by the esteemed Indian-American artist Zarina Hashmi, we find ourselves wandering through a landscape that is as much about the psyche as it is about urban geography. This evocative work serves as a profound meditation on the concept of place, utilizing the stark, high-contrast language of black and white to map out the intricate layers of human existence. At first…

10
City-V (2003) by Zarina

City-V

2003 · Drawing · Devi Art Foundation, Gurugram

In the quiet, monochromatic depths of City-V, the viewer is invited into a world where architecture and water converge to tell a story of structure and flow. Created in 2003 by the late Indian-American master Zarina Hashmi, this evocative drawing serves as more than just a depiction of an urban landscape; it is a meditative exploration of space and boundary. Through a delicate interplay of light and shadow, Hashmi constructs…

Zarina's famous paintings, numbers 11 to 23

Zarina's famous paintings, period by period

The subjects that held Zarina's eye

The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.

The museums that keep Zarina's originals

The 3 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.

Museum City Works by Zarina Paintings from this list
Devi Art Foundation, GurugramDevi Art Foundation Gurugram 20 City- IV, Letters From Home, Letters from Home-XI
MOMA - Museum of Modern Art, New York CityMOMA - Museum of Modern Art New York City 2 Home Is a Foreign Place, Home Is a Foreign Place
Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, New DelhiKiran Nadar Museum of Art New Delhi 1 Folding House

Zarina across the years: the unique originals of each

Between 1999 and 2004, 6 years in all, Zarina made every dated original shown here: a short span, followed year by year.

Works per year

Pick a year to see its originals.

Zarina's paintings: questions for the gallery

What is the single most famous work of Zarina?Reveal the answer

Home Is a Foreign Place (1999), MOMA - Museum of Modern Art, New York City. Folding House and City- IV (2003) come next.

At what age did Zarina create Home Is a Foreign Place?Reveal the answer

62 years old: Home Is a Foreign Place dates from 1999, and Zarina was born in 1937.

Which ten paintings by Zarina are the most famous?Reveal the answer

Home Is a Foreign Place, Folding House, City- IV, Letters From Home, Letters from Home-XI, Home Is a Foreign Place, Letters from home-X, Letters from Home-II, City-I and City-V. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.

How many works by Zarina are known?Reveal the answer

Our catalog holds 23 works by Zarina, dated from 1999 to 2004.

Where can the most famous Zarina originals be seen?Reveal the answer

Mostly in Devi Art Foundation (Gurugram), MOMA - Museum of Modern Art (New York City) and Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (New Delhi). The museum table above lists them all.

During which period did Zarina create the best-known paintings?Reveal the answer

In 2003: 8 of the 23 works on this page were made then, City- IV among them.

Which famous Zarina painting is the earliest, and which the latest?Reveal the answer

On this page, the earliest is Home Is a Foreign Place (1999) and the latest Letters From Home (2004).

What subjects did Zarina favour?Reveal the answer

Memory (6), Borders (6) and Home (5), across the 23 works on this page.

What materials did Zarina paint with most?Reveal the answer

Painting, for 6 of the 23 works on this page.

Which movement does the work of Zarina belong to?Reveal the answer

Minimalism, judging by the originals on this page.

What Zarina originals can I see at the Devi Art Foundation?Reveal the answer

City- IV, Letters From Home and Letters from Home-XI: the Devi Art Foundation, Gurugram holds 20 of the works on this page.

Zarina: a portrait of the artist

early life and career

zarina hashmi, an indian american artist and printmaker, was born on july 16, 1937. her life's work would be marked by themes of home, displacement, borders, journey, and memory, reflecting her own experiences as a displaced person.

artistic style and themes

associated with the minimalist movement, zarina hashmi's work utilized abstract and geometric forms to evoke a spiritual reaction from the viewer. her art poignantly chronicles her life, featuring recurring themes of home, place, borders, and memory.
  • minimalism: zarina's work tends towards minimalism, tempered by its texture and materiality.
  • displacement and memory: her art reflects her own experiences as a displaced person, exploring ideas of home, place, borders, and memory.
  • urdu inscriptions: zarina's use of urdu inscriptions in her work invokes her mother tongue, denoting a lifelong 'translation' of artistic and linguistic expression.

notable works and exhibitions

home is a foreign place, 1999 (portfolio of 36 woodcut chine collé with urdu text printed on paper and mounted on paper, the metropolitan museum of art, purchase, the george economou collection gift), is a notable example of zarina's work. this piece, along with others, can be found in the zarina hashmi's artworks section on OriginalUniqueArt.com.

legacy and remembrance

zarina hashmi's passing on april 25, 2020, marked the loss of a significant cultural figure. her life story, as reflected in her art, continues to evoke a spiritual reaction from viewers, ensuring her legacy endures. view zarina hashmi's artworks on OriginalUniqueArt.com read more about zarina hashmi on wikipedia