By cutting, folding and layering, artist Masarratfatima Sulaimani, transforms sheets of paper into aesthetical works of art. Forever immersed in a dialogue with paper with her deft hands and nimble fingers, she moulds paper to give it a unique voice. As an ode to the historical architecture in Dubai's Al Fahidi neighbourhood, the Sharjah-based Indian artist recently recreated a scenic façade of the traditional wind towers from handmade paper, also depicting paper figurines of Emiratis and tourists walking around the site.

Exploring how local architecture is a silent witness to people's stories, she crafted an entire paper series titled, Rooted Memories: A Journey Through Paper, as part of her month-long residency, at Hotel Indigo, Dubai Downtown. This unique handmade series was made from a variety of paper and is currently on display at the hotel till November 21, 2025. Sulaimani was selected for the residency through her participation at the annual World Art Dubai fair earlier this year.

“When we visit a new destination, we often remember it through its architecture and food. That's why I tried to bring both these elements through my work by capturing UAE's heritage buildings on paper that was made from the food waste collected at the hotel. I also added people moving through the space to reflect the transient nature of our memory,” Sulaimani tells City Times.

A former graphic designer, she found her connection with paper by chance. While cutting a paper portrait as a present for her niece, she fell in love with shaping paper in inventive ways. At the core of her practice are themes of memory, migration and journey. She finds paper both fragile and resilient, often a metaphor for cycles of time, growth and impermanence. Paper art, she points out, has many layers.“Not just in what you see but also in the process behind it. Even though I work mainly with paper there are so many ways to create with it, I can cut, fold, tear, make or even recycle it. Each approach gives it a different effect,” she reveals.

Sustainability and other narratives

Her layered paper compositions reveal multiple narratives and also evolve into immersive large scale installations. Growing up in India, sustainability she says, was ingrained in her from her childhood, watching elders at home reuse old cloth, stitch them into mats and bags. She translated that early exposure to recycling into her art practice as well. As part of her residency she collected heads of pineapple leaves to make handmade paper and use them to create textures for the artworks.“When I started creating paper art, I noticed how much paper was being wasted. This alarming reason led me to find ways to reuse it. I first began with recycled paper pulp and used it to make paper pulp paintings. Later I learnt traditional paper making techniques and started creating handmade paper from plants and vegetables,” tells the artists, who holds a Bachelor's degree in Visual Arts.

Over the years, Sulaimani's work has been showcased at several local and international art venues including at the Shanghai International Biennale, the Al Murabbaa Arts Festival in Ajman, the Sikka Art Festival in Dubai, the IAPMA Paper Biennale, ReBloom in Germany and at the DIFC Art Nights. In 2022 as the artist-in-residence at the Al Qasimi Foundation in Ras Al Khaimah, she created Footprints, an intricately cut large-scale paper installation celebrating the relationship between nature and human beings.

For the artwork she referenced RAK's natural beauty and architectural landscape, and used paper made from plants-Sansevieria, Yucca and Artichoke. The installation was a tribute to the iconic flowers found in the area and the heritage buildings.“The beaches, mountains and mangroves of Ras Al Khaimah, all played muse to my artwork. I was especially fascinated with the coral stone buildings during my visits to the Al Jazeerah Al Hamra heritage area in RAK, where I would sit for hours, absorbing the traditional architecture. It was also a time when sustainability became a conscious part of my practice,” she recalls.

The artist says, she feels, most at home, while working with paper as the medium lets her capture her emotions and express her stories in an honest and profound way. Well-versed with paper craft, she ingeniously brings alive subtle nuances of lived-in scenes-a whimsical portrait of a young girl immersed in reading her book under the playful shadow of a canopy of trees, the neat folds of the long robe of a whirling dervish, multi-patterned lattice panels, groups of birds flying from their nests, human paper sculptures attired in hats, bags and high-heels.“Paper has taught me a lot about the cycles of life, about creation, dissolution and rebirth. It adapts, reshapes and transforms. As I am constantly evolving, so does paper in my hands, taking on new shapes, just like my own story.”

Of migration and cosmopolitanism

As an Indian expat living in the UAE, Sulaimani's art reflects her own journey of migration and building a new home. Finding acceptance in the UAE, gave her a voice and a new perspective to build her art career.“I have had the best of both worlds. As an Indian I have absorbed my traditions and sustainability beliefs aligned with nature. Being a UAE resident, I am inspired by the nation's vibrant cosmopolitan spirit. My artistic narrative has been shaped by the experiences I have lived through this transition, the feeling of uncertainty and the courage it took to move to a new country and find a sense of belonging,” she shares.

Her strong feelings on migration have been represented in her artwork, Murmuration, which is a cloud-like aerial display of birds flying in the sky. Exhibited at the Sikka Art Fair in Dubai in 2019, and then at the Shanghai International Paper Biennale in 2023, the captivating sky blue and indigo-shaded circular paper nest with migratory birds flocking onto trees symbolised home coming, acceptance, diversity and the bonds of blossoming together.

Yet another of her installations-Journey Beyond Horizons, displayed at World Art Dubai, 2025, delved into the courage of starting anew. Long strips of paper, with a sieve-like pattern, shaped as waves, were hung over a paper boat.“This installation represented the spirit of those who journey to the UAE, bringing with them their stories, traditions, and the will to build a future in a new land. It invited them to pause and listen to the currents of their own journey, to embrace the uncertainty of where life's tides may lead them to,” she adds.

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