Born in Aligarh in 1937, Zarina Hashmi earned her B.Sc. with honours from the Muslim University in her hometown in 1958 before turning her focus to printmaking, first in India and later abroad. From 1963 to 1967, she studied printmaking at Atelier 17 in Paris under the guidance of S. W. Hayter and Krishna Reddy, and in 1974, she furthered her education in woodblock printing at Toshi Yoshido’s studio in Tokyo, supported by a Japan Foundation Fellowship.

Hashmi's work consistently engages with the politics of space and the nuances of its transitions. Reflecting her own extensive travels and the varied meanings of the term ‘home’, her art challenges conventional notions of ‘country’ and explores how these spaces are bordered, defined, and traversed, along with the emotions and memories they evoke. Through her minimalist prints, Hashmi reimagines familiar locations, constructing new geographies infused with fresh perspectives and universal significance.

Throughout her career, Hashmi has participated in residencies at Art-Omi in Omi and the Women’s Studio Workshop in Rosendale, both in New York, where she ultimately settled. She received the New York Fine Art Fellowship in the printmaking category in both 1985 and 1990. In addition to her artistic pursuits, Hashmi has imparted her knowledge by teaching at institutions such as Bennington College, Cornell University, and the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Zarina Hashmi passed away on 25th April 2020.