About

Javaid Nayyar, born in Queens, New York, is a self-taught artist whose creative journey draws inspiration from a diverse array of sources. Influenced by Islamic art, pop culture, and subcultures like punk rock, hip hop, and skateboarding, as well as historical and political narratives, his work reflects a fusion of Eastern and Western, modern and classic, all filtered through his unique perspective.

Through his art, Javaid explores themes of identity, xenophobia, Islamophobia, and the immigrant/first-generation American experience. He conveys these themes by employing mixed media collage, paint, traditional Pakistani fabric, and mirror work.

Javaid is a 2024 MacDowell Resident Artist and Fellow. He is a 2025 & 2024 Washington D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities Fellow, building on previous grants awarded by the Commission in 2020, 2021, and 2022. He was an Artist in Residence at the Selina Hotel (Washington D.C.) and has had solo exhibitions at the Selina Hotel and Homme Gallery. His work has been exhibited in group shows in Baltimore, Washington D.C. and Alexandria, VA.

A graduate of Queens College and the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Javaid brings a rich interdisciplinary perspective to his artistic practice.