Zara Kuchi

Zara Kuchi was born in Cornwall 1977. She studied Fine Art at Carmarthenshire College of Arts and Technology and went on to graduate from Falmouth College of Arts with First Class Honours in 2000. She now lives and works in rural West Wales.

Zara is primarily an oil painter working mainly in the tradition of classical portraiture with a particular interest in the genre of the 'tronie'. A tronie could be summarised as the pursuit of a likeness of certain stock human characteristics in a particular setting or attire. Zara is most well known for her series of works portraying the 'Girl in a Turban'. This series began around 2012 based on images modelled by her niece and has evolved over the years to become focused on the universal and mysterious appeal of the 'youthful face adorned in a fabric headdress'. The principal aim of these works is to convey a sense of timelessness and serenity.