About
Shahina Jaffer
Artist · Adventurer · Theory Tester · TEDx Speaker · Podcaster
Shahina Jaffer is a multidisciplinary artist, TEDx speaker, author, and podcaster whose work bridges art, activism, and cultural insight. A graduate of Central Saint Martins in London, she brings a bold, layered approach to contemporary art that reflects her British, Indian, African, and Persian heritage.
Her work has been exhibited in London, Barcelona, New York, Mexico City, and Genoa—including a virtual showcase at the 2020 Virtual Burning Man festival. She is also the founder of JustArt247.com, a platform for socially conscious storytelling and creative community-building.
Exploring Perception, Identity & the Invisible
Shahina’s practice centers on perception—natural, social, and spiritual. Using elemental materials like water and pigment, she creates movement-driven works that fuse emotional intuition with empirical observation. Her signature techniques—The Reverse Jackson, Jaffer vs. Mondrian, and The Line of Invisibility—investigate visibility, marginalisation, and the forces that shape human experience.
Her solo exhibition Tonal Imprints – Shades of Fluoroscopy in Mayfair translated a personal medical journey into a visual exploration of healing, vulnerability, and patient agency—blending artistic expression with lived experience.
Art as Participation
In her TEDx talk, “The Art of Perception,” Shahina advocates for art as a participatory experience. Drawing on her deep understanding of human behaviour, she invites viewers into the work—not just to observe, but to feel, reflect, and connect.
A lifelong commitment to diversity and inclusivity is woven throughout her practice. Whether exploring identity, justice, or the natural world (including her evolving experiments with weather as a co-creator), her work aims to challenge, heal, and amplify voices that are often overlooked.
“My art is not just a reflection—it’s a statement. I create to challenge, to heal, and to make the invisible impossible to overlook.” — Shahina Jaffer
Make it stand out.
Solo Show
Exhibitions & Collaboration
Artist · Adventurer · Theory Tester · TEDx Speaker
Shahina has exhibited in over 33 group shows and at four international art fairs, working with global galleries including:
BM Art Gallery (Barcelona),
Espacio Gallery (London),
Gallery 23 (London & Athens),
Óvalo Galeria de Arte (Mexico City),
Gallery 104 (New York),
ArteGenova (Padua),
St. Arts (Amsterdam),
Curious Kudu {London) Featured
Represented by Katherine Maginnis 2019 - 2021
Saatchi Art,
and many more global galleries and organisations.
Her acclaimed solo show, Tonal Imprints: Shades of Fluoroscopy, inspired by her personal journey through medical imaging, was exhibited at Microsoft HQ, Mayfair Gallery, and Cambridge University, and featured in the American Medical Association Journal of Ethics. Known for her signature “Reverse Jackson Pollock” technique, the show explored themes of perception, the body, and invisibility through fluid, emotionally driven abstraction.
Formerly a global marketing professional, Shahina brings deep consumer insight into her socially engaged practice. She is the founder of JustArt247.com, a creative collective amplifying artists as agents of change, and host of ArtTox on Voices Radio, where she explores creativity, culture, and transformation.
Her art practice is rooted in collaboration and activism. She has worked with organisations including the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), BlindAid, and University College London on initiatives centered on justice, accessibility, and inclusion.
Shahina’s TEDx talk, The Art of Perception, explores creativity as a catalyst for personal and societal healing. With a body of work spanning over 300 pieces, her practice continues to push boundaries, invite participation, and make the unseen impossible to ignore.
My art is not just a reflection—it’s a statement. I create to challenge, to heal, and to make the invisible impossible to overlook.” — Shahina Jaffer
TEDx Talk: The Art of Perception – by Shahina Jaffer
This talk is a call to reframe not only how we are perceived, but how we perceive possibility.
TEDx Talk – The Art of Perception (2019):
Using art as a lens, this interactive talk examines how perception shapes what—and how—we see. Quoting Giacometti, Shahina argues that art doesn’t replicate reality but creates its own compelling version.
Profile:
A London-based marketing consultant (UAL graduate) with experience at Unilever, Nestlé and GSK, Shahina specialises in consumer insights and digital strategy. She is also an accomplished artist, represented by New York’s Gallery 104. A Central Saint Martins graduate, her work explores perception, blending her marketing expertise with a lifelong passion for art.
Artistic Approach:
Inspired by Degas’ belief that art is “not what you see, but what you make others see”, she creates work that invites personal interpretation, allowing each viewer to uncover their own meaning.
Learn more:
Gallery 104
Key Themes: Perception, visual storytelling, and the intersection of art and consumer behaviour.“Perception isn’t fixed. It’s a frame — and we are the artists.”
🎥 Watch now: The Art of Perception – TEDx Talk
ArtTox
Challenging perceptions. Breaking barriers. Making art for everyone.
About the Show
ArtTox isn’t just a podcast—it’s a movement. Through raw, thought-provoking conversations, we uncover hidden stories, celebrate diverse voices, and explore how art shapes culture, identity, and activism.
From underground creatives to global icons, we strip away exclusivity and dive deep into what makes artists tick. No filters. No barriers. Just real, revolutionary art.
Meet Your Host
Hosted by artist and advocate Shahina Jaffer, ArtTox explores the intersections of art, identity, and activism. With a global career spanning fine art, marketing, and social advocacy, she’s here to challenge norms and spark bold conversations.
Join us for deep dives with trailblazing artists, curators, and cultural disruptors. Let’s rethink art—together.
ArtTox, a podcast on Voices Radio exploring creativity, transformation, and culture
Listen up.
The show airs live on Voices Radio the first Monday of every month at 5PM GMT, bringing you conversations at the intersection of art, identity, and social change.
Missed it live? You can catch all episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts (iTunes), and YouTube, with behind-the-scenes content and extras on Instagram via @arttoxcrew.
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
ArtTox
Exciting News: I'm a Co-Author in Start Over – A Book About Resilience and Reinvention!
I'm proud to announce my contribution to Start Over: The Sensational Comeback Stories of People Who Refused to Give Up, now available on Amazon. This inspiring anthology brings together powerful stories of resilience, and I'm honored to share my journey alongside these remarkable individuals.
My chapter, Seasons of Becoming, explores my childhood and formative years—navigating cultural identity, trauma, and the transformative power of art.
"Art doesn't just show us the world; it invites us to become part of it."
From surviving a near-fatal car accident at age five to confronting racial bullying, art became both my refuge and my voice. These experiences shaped my path—from marketing and advocacy to politics and my TEDx talk on perception. The chapter is a testament to resilience, creativity, and the belief that "what's for you will never pass you by."
Get your copy here and join me in celebrating stories of courage, reinvention, and the power of new beginnings.
#StartOverBook #Resilience #ArtOfPerception #ComebackStories
