Saks Afridi

Born in 1975 in Peshawar, Pakistan, Saks Afridi is a multidisciplinary artist based in New York City.

Afridi’s work occupies a self-defined genre he calls “Sci-Fi Sufism”, a spiritual and speculative practice that explores the vast galaxies within the self. By fusing mysticism with narrative, his art visualizes the inner quest for meaning through a blend of Sufi poetry, South Asian folklore, Islamic mythology, science fiction, architecture, and calligraphy.

His practice also explores the condition of the “Insider Outsider”, a term he uses to describe the pursuit of belonging while being out of place. Through this lens, Afridi recontextualizes cultural and historical narratives in contemporary settings, reflecting on themes of displacement, dual identity, and transcultural joy.

Afridi’s process is deeply collaborative. Drawing from his background in advertising, he frequently works with painters, architects, artisans, fashion designers, 3D modelers, and fabricators to bring his visions to life. His interest in analog technologies, including vintage cars - often informs his sculptural work, where mechanical parts become poetic devices.

He studied advertising at the Academy of Art and sculpture at the Art Students League of New York. He speaks English, Urdu, Pashto, and conversational Arabic.

Afridi’s work has been recognized with multiple Cannes Lions, D&AD and One Show Pencils, and a United Nations Award for Peace & Understanding. His art has been featured in Artforum, The New York Times, BBC, Al Jazeera, CNN, and even on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Exhibitions:

2024
Brattleboro Museum, Vermont, USA
SpaceMosque

2023
WeltMuseum, Theseus Temple, Vienna, Austria
SpaceMosque

2022
Futurisms at VCUArt Center, Doha, Qatar.
Elsewhere is a Negative Mirror, Los Angeles Art Show and Vellum LA, Los Angeles, California.

2021
The Wrong Biannale

2020
Patel Brown Gallery, Talisman, Toronto, Canada

2019
New Asian Futurisms, Asian Arts Initiative, Philadelphia
Utopian Imaginations, Ford Foundation Gallery, New York
Times of Perception, Stevenson University, Maryland
SpaceMosque, Solo Show, Aicon Gallery, New York. January

2018
Delicate Bond of Steel, Aicon Gallery with Marta Hewett Gallery, Cincinnati
Something Else – Off Biennale, Cairo
Hyperreal, Aicon Gallery, New York

2017
Art Basel, Pulse Art Fair, Miami
National Art Gallery, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Abu Dhabi Art Fair, Aicon Gallery, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Governors Island Art Fair, NY
'COMM | ALT | SHIFT', Aljira center for contemporary art, New Jersey
Sown Together, Aicon Gallery, NY

2016
Whitebox Gallery, NY
Salt Arts Festival, Southbank Center, London UK
Children's Museum of Manhattan

2014
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Netherlands
Tate Modern, BP Art Exchange
Dumbo Art Festival, SAWCC
Miami Art Basel, The Fridge Art Fair
The Society of Domestic Museology

2012/2013
Phyllis Harriman Mason Gallery, New York City
The Gartner Gallery, New York City

Click to see Saks’s Advertising Work.

Please send all inquiries to saksafridi@gmail.com