Artist in Residence – Sha Sarwari

Sha Sarwari is a multidisciplinary visual artist working across photography, Installation, and material investigation. His practice explores themes of displacement, memory, and identity, informed by his lived experience as a Hazara born in Afghanistan and now based in Australia. Through layered visual compositions, Sha constructs allegorical spaces and images that reflect the emotional and psychological condition of existing between worlds—where notions of home, belonging, and visibility remain unresolved.

Sha said,

“The residency at Metro Arts is a significant opportunity to slow down, reflect, and push my practice in new directions. Having dedicated studio space and time will allowed me to explore new material processes to develop new works.

The Metro Arts residency will provide a valuable platform to expand my practice through curatorial dialogue, community connection, and engagement with the broader contemporary art industry. The residency will create opportunities to share ideas, build meaningful relationships, and develop new work within a supportive environment that encourages experimentation and critical exchange.”

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Artist Residencies provide artists with 6 or 12 months of studio space, mentorship, and practical support to deepen their creative practice. Residents receive studio access, funding for artist fees depending on the length of residency, access to fabrication resources and professional development opportunities, alongside connection to a broader community of artists and collaborators.