The Pakistani-born artist transforms personal struggles, cultural tensions, and everyday moments into expressive oil paintings that explore life between two worlds.
Some artists paint what they see.
Others paint what they remember.
For Mustafa Mohsin, painting begins somewhere deeper.
His work emerges from internal conflicts, personal experiences, cultural identity, and the emotional realities of navigating contemporary life as a Pakistani immigrant living in New York City.
At Spring Break Art Show NYC, Mustafa presents a powerful series of oil paintings that balance humor, vulnerability, and psychological complexity. Created entirely from imagination, the works function as personal narratives while also addressing larger questions surrounding identity, belonging, temptation, and cultural expectations.
During my conversation with Mustafa at Booth 45, we discussed his creative process, his transition from professional cake artist to painter, and the role that both Pakistan and New York continue to play in shaping his artistic voice.
Painting from the Inside Out
Unlike artists who begin with photographs or direct observation, Mustafa builds his compositions entirely from imagination.
The figures, scenarios, and visual narratives originate from personal experiences, memories, emotions, and internal reflections.
As a result, the paintings feel deeply psychological.
They occupy a space somewhere between reality and symbolism.
Each image becomes a visual expression of thoughts and feelings that might otherwise remain hidden.
Rather than documenting the outside world, Mustafa uses painting as a way of examining the internal one.
Haram: Temptation, Guilt, and Cultural Conflict
One of the most memorable works in the exhibition is a painting titled Haram, the Arabic word commonly translated as “forbidden.”
The image depicts Mustafa staring at a plate of bacon.
At first glance, the painting may appear humorous.
But beneath the surface lies a much more complex conversation.
For many Muslims, pork is prohibited.
Yet living in New York City often means navigating cultures, customs, and experiences very different from those one grows up with.
The painting becomes a meditation on temptation, guilt, curiosity, and cultural identity.
Is the figure experiencing desire?
Conflict?
Shame?
Freedom?
The answer is intentionally left open.
What makes the work compelling is its ability to transform a seemingly simple moment into a larger reflection on belonging and personal choice.
The Experience of Living Between Cultures
Throughout our conversation, Mustafa repeatedly returned to the experience of being Pakistani in New York.
His work reflects both the opportunities and challenges that come with navigating multiple cultural identities simultaneously.
Living between cultures often creates a unique perspective.
You belong to both worlds.
Yet sometimes fully to neither.
That tension appears throughout his paintings.
Questions about tradition, adaptation, family expectations, personal freedom, and cultural memory become recurring themes.
Rather than presenting clear answers, Mustafa embraces complexity.
The paintings acknowledge that identity is rarely fixed.
It is something constantly negotiated and redefined.
A Frantic and Intuitive Process
One of the most fascinating aspects of Mustafa’s practice is the speed and intensity with which he works.
He describes his process as impulsive and almost frantic.
Every brushstroke matters.
Every mark carries intention.
Nothing feels passive.
Despite the emotional intensity involved, he strives to create paintings that appear effortless.
He referenced the Italian concept of sprezzatura—the art of making something difficult appear easy.
For Mustafa, successful paintings conceal the labor that went into them.
The viewer should experience the image naturally, without becoming distracted by the struggle behind its creation.
Oil Painting and the Power of Gesture
All of the works in the booth were created this year using traditional oil paint on canvas.
The medium allows Mustafa to capture both subtle emotion and expressive movement.
The surfaces feel alive.
Brushstrokes remain visible.
Color shifts create atmosphere and psychological depth.
Rather than pursuing photorealism, Mustafa embraces the expressive possibilities of paint itself.
The result is work that feels immediate and personal.
Viewers are not simply looking at an image.
They are witnessing the artist’s thought process unfold across the canvas.
Ideas That Arrive Unexpectedly
Like many artists, Mustafa keeps a running archive of ideas on his phone.
His notes app is filled with observations, concepts, fragments, and visual possibilities.
Not every idea becomes a painting.
But every painting begins with some small spark.
A memory.
A contradiction.
An uncomfortable feeling.
A moment of humor.
A cultural observation.
Inspiration can arrive at any time.
The challenge is recognizing it when it appears.
From Cake Artist to Painter
Before becoming a full-time painter, Mustafa worked professionally as a cake artist.
The transition may seem unusual, but both disciplines require craftsmanship, patience, and visual problem-solving.
Working in cake design taught him how to think about form, composition, and presentation.
Eventually, however, painting offered something different.
A space for personal expression.
A space to explore questions that could not be addressed through commercial work.
Today, those experiences continue to inform his artistic practice, even as his focus remains firmly rooted in painting.
Spring Break Art Show NYC
For Mustafa, Spring Break Art Show represents an exciting new chapter.
This is his first time participating in the fair, and the experience has already provided an opportunity to connect with new audiences and introduce viewers to his work.
Spring Break’s reputation for showcasing emerging voices makes it a natural fit for an artist whose work combines personal storytelling with contemporary social themes.
The fair’s emphasis on experimentation and accessibility creates an ideal environment for conversations about identity, culture, and lived experience.
Final Thoughts
What stood out most during my conversation with Mustafa Mohsin was his willingness to embrace vulnerability.
His paintings are not concerned with presenting perfect answers.
Instead, they explore uncertainty.
Conflict.
Curiosity.
Contradiction.
The very experiences that define contemporary life.
By drawing from his own background as a Pakistani immigrant navigating life in New York, Mustafa creates work that feels both intensely personal and universally relatable.
At Spring Break Art Show NYC, his paintings remind viewers that identity is rarely simple.
It is layered.
Complicated.
Constantly evolving.
And sometimes the most powerful stories emerge from the tensions we carry within ourselves.
About Tarik Talk Podcast
Tarik Talk Podcast is an international arts and culture podcast hosted by artist Tarik Mendes. With more than 200 episodes across 50 seasons filmed in over 10 countries, the podcast features conversations with artists, curators, museum professionals, collectors, cultural leaders, and creative innovators from around the world.
Recorded inside artist studios, museums, galleries, art fairs, and cultural institutions, Tarik Talk explores the personal stories, creative processes, challenges, inspirations, and career journeys that shape today’s contemporary art landscape.
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