TUSIF AHMAD | PRESS BACKGROUND https://www.tusifahmad.com/press-kit/ Contact: contact@tusifahmad.com | Perth, Western Australia SHORT BIOGRAPHY Tusif Ahmad is a Pakistan-born Australian artist based in Perth, Western Australia. His intricate hand-cut artworks bring together Islamic calligraphy, pattern and storytelling. Drawing on Qur’anic themes and the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), his practice explores compassion, connection and the patient craft of making. BIOGRAPHY Tusif Ahmad is a Pakistan-born Australian artist based in Perth, Western Australia. Working with intricate hand-cut compositions, he brings Islamic calligraphy, pattern and storytelling into conversation. His subjects include Qur’anic themes, the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and the relationships between faith, nature and community. Research and drawing underpin a practice that demands patience and precision. His work explores the possibilities of paper, vinyl, layering, light and shadow. Through exhibitions, artist talks and workshops, Ahmad shares both the stories behind his artworks and the process of making them, inviting conversation across cultures and faiths. ARTIST Q&A These first-person answers are edited summaries drawn from published interviews, exhibition commentary and the artist’s catalogue. They are background material, not verbatim interview quotations. For a direct quotation, use the original source or contact Tusif. What is at the heart of your art? My work grows from Islamic stories, calligraphy and the values they carry. I am interested in love, compassion, empathy and the relationships that connect people. The intricate surface draws viewers closer; the story behind it offers another way into the work. I hope that encounter opens a conversation about what we share. Sources: Sound Telegraph; Gulf News How do you approach Qur’anic themes and the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)? I explore stories, teachings and ideas through calligraphy, symbols and carefully constructed compositions. Works inspired by the Prophet’s life reflect its events and messages. Understanding the story comes before developing its visual form; the intention is to invite reflection on its meaning. Sources: Curator’s commentary; Gulf News Is this work only for a Muslim audience? Faith is an important starting point, but the human values in these stories reach beyond a single community. I want people from different backgrounds to find an entry point through the craftsmanship, the imagery or the story. Love, kindness and empathy give us a shared language for that conversation. Sources: Gulf News How did you begin paper cutting? I drew with pen and ink before discovering paper cutting. A simple folded-paper sunflower made with my daughter opened up a new direction. I began exploring how this delicate craft could carry the detail and storytelling of Islamic art. Sources: Sound Telegraph; All Things Paper What happens before the first cut? I research the story first, then work through drawings and the composition. In my 2018 Sound Telegraph interview, I described research and drawing as about 70 per cent of the process. The planning matters because the design must communicate its story and remain structurally connected as material is removed. Sources: Sound Telegraph; Curator’s commentary How does negative space become an image? The design depends on both what I cut away and what remains. Fine connections hold the image together, so removing an area affects the whole composition. Farrah Mahmood’s exhibition commentary describes the reverse-image planning behind this process: unwanted areas are removed while the remaining sheet carries the narrative. Sources: Curator’s commentary Are the works made from one sheet or several layers? Many of my paper-cut compositions begin as a single sheet, with patterns and symbols cut into it by hand. Some works also use coloured layers or mounting arrangements to create depth. The construction varies by artwork, so a caption should describe the particular piece rather than assume every work uses the same method. Sources: Sound Telegraph; Gulf News What tools and materials do you use? For fine hand cutting I use a precision scalpel, typically an Excel #11 blade. I select paper that can support delicate cuts. I also work with self-textured vinyl, particularly for larger compositions and its effect under lighting. The material should be identified for each artwork; “paper-cutting artist” describes my practice, not every work’s substrate. Sources: All Things Paper; Artist’s catalogue How long does a work take? A complex piece can take two to three months, including its research, drawing and cutting. The time varies with scale and detail. Cutting requires sustained attention: a mistake can damage a connection that the rest of the image depends on, so patience is part of the technique. Sources: Curator’s commentary; Gulf News Why are light and shadow important? The cut surface is only part of the experience. When a work is mounted away from its background and lit, its openings and edges can cast shadows. This adds another visual layer and changes how a viewer perceives the depth of a flat sheet. Presentation and lighting help reveal the delicacy of the cutting. Sources: The Express Tribune Can you give examples of the stories in individual works? Tree of Life brings birds, flowers and foliage into a connected composition, reflecting life and renewal. Surah Qadr responds to the Qur’an’s chapter on the Night of Decree, with its themes of revelation and peace. A Drop of Faith draws on a parable about a bird carrying water towards the fire of Abraham: the importance of doing one’s part. That parable should not be presented as a quotation from the Qur’an. Sources: Artist’s catalogue How do workshops and community gatherings relate to the art? They make room to share the making process as well as the finished artwork. In workshops, participants can encounter the patience and concentration involved in paper cutting. At community gatherings I share the stories behind the pieces, giving people a starting point for conversation about culture, craft and connection. Sources: Rockingham / Kwinana Inspire; The News International IMAGE CAPTIONS & CREDITS Artwork credit: Tusif Ahmad. Images courtesy of the artist. Please retain artwork titles and confirm any separate photography credit, reproduction permission and print requirements with contact@tusifahmad.com before publication. These files do not grant a licence for merchandise or commercial reuse. Tusif Ahmad, Al Asma Ul Husna, 2025, 80 × 80 cm. Framed view; reflections are visible in the glazing. 3024 × 4032 pixels · JPEG https://www.tusifahmad.com/press-kit/images/al-asma-ul-husna-framed.jpg Tusif Ahmad, Al Asma Ul Husna, 2025. Detail of the 80 × 80 cm artwork; this image shows a portion of the composition. 2448 × 3264 pixels · JPEG https://www.tusifahmad.com/press-kit/images/al-asma-ul-husna-detail.jpg Tusif Ahmad, Ayatul Kursi, 2024, 72 × 46 cm. Artwork inspired by Qur’an 2:255. 2450 × 3688 pixels · JPEG https://www.tusifahmad.com/press-kit/images/ayatul-kursi-2024.jpg Tusif Ahmad, Surah Qadr, 2023, 100 × 80 cm. Framed view of a work inspired by Qur’an 97, the Night of Decree. 2106 × 2560 pixels · WebP https://www.tusifahmad.com/press-kit/images/surah-qadr-framed.webp SOURCES Sound Telegraph: Paper-cut artworks tell stories of love. Chloe Fraser · 19 September 2018 · print clipping supplied by the artist. Print source held by the artist; request a reference copy. Gulf News: Paper cuts bleed stories of life and wisdom. Sana Jamal · 2018. https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/arts-culture/paper-cuts-bleed-stories-of-life-and-wisdom-1.2152303 All Things Paper: Spirituality in Every Cut: The Paper Art of Tusif Ahmad. May 2026 · interview on materials and process. https://www.allthingspaper.net/2026/05/tusif-ahmad-islamic-paper-cutting-artist.html Curator’s commentary: Illustrations on the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Farrah Mahmood · exhibition text supplied by the artist · undated. Print source held by the artist; request a reference copy. The Express Tribune: Against hatred: ‘Shadow Art’ aims to enlighten many hearts. 23 December 2013. https://tribune.com.pk/story/649698/against-hatred-shadow-art-aims-to-enlighten-many-hearts Rockingham / Kwinana Inspire: Twilight Cultural Lounge Celebrates Community Connection; Twilight Tastes & Togetherness. Community clippings supplied by the artist · dates unconfirmed. Print source held by the artist; request a reference copy. The News International: PNCA hosts paper cutting workshop. 25 April 2024. https://www.thenews.com.pk/amp/1181984-pnca-hosts-paper-cutting-workshop Artist’s catalogue: Artwork stories, materials and dimensions. Tusif Ahmad · individual work details. https://www.tusifahmad.com/gallery/