Nadia Waheed, BFA 2015 School of the Art Institute of Chicago, is a Pakistani-American painter who makes partially autobiographical allegorical figurative paintings that explore selfhood, choice, and cultural trauma. Exhibition history includes shows with Mindy Solomon Gallery in Miami, BEERS London, Thierry Goldberg in New York, and Gallery 1957 in London. Upcoming exhibitions in 2021 include shows with Andrea Festa Fine Art in Rome, Lawrie Shabibi in Dubai, and Aicon Gallery in New York. Show Notes: 00:04:18 - Being aware of your youth  00:05:52 - Having numerous perspectives  00:09:40 - Nadia’s childhood  00:16:40 - Cultural nuances  00:23:07 - The core language approach and inner generational trauma  00:27:54 - The influence of mentorship  00:31:12 - Politics within the art world  00:37:46 - Telling someone who you are, through your actions  00:39:30 - Dating and relationships  00:46:39 - The loss of community and connectivity  00:53:01 - Intentionality and being vulnerable  01:00:45 - Being comfortable with who you are 01:08:33 - Engaging with emotions and understanding the context  01:20:16 - Nadia’s hesitance towards talking about her work  01:27:54 - “The curse of the expert”  01:34:23 - Commitment  01:42:45 - Wrap up www.artistdecoded.com www.instagram.com/nadiakwd www.nadiawaheed.com