Early Life and Education
Born on September 25, 1983, in Lahore, Pakistan, Usman Alvi was born deaf into a hearing family. Despite the challenges posed by his disability and societal perceptions, Alvi exhibited remarkable artistic talent from a young age. His passion for art led him to the National College of Arts (NCA) in Lahore, where he graduated in 2010 with a specialization in miniature painting.

Artistic Style and Medium
Alvi primarily works with gouache on wasli paper, a traditional medium in South Asian miniature art. His subjects often include animals like peacocks, roosters, ducks, and toads, depicted with rhythmic movement that he perceives through sensory experiences rather than sound. He expresses, “I enjoy the sensory value of movement around me… I love seeing beautiful horizons and feel the beauty inside me.

Themes and Symbolism
Alvi's art blends realism with surrealism, often featuring self-portraits alongside animals, creating a narrative that reflects his unique worldview. His miniatures are surreal yet almost tangible in their realism, and the artist himself is invariably part of the narrative. Thus we see self-portraits in full or just through a partial depiction in conjunction with exotic birds and gorgeous fluffy cats or even a tiny baby hyena, wolf or frog.