Umber Ghauri
Artist
ABOUT
UMBER GHAURI
Umber Ghauri is a multi-disciplinary artist and writer with physical disabilities/chronic illness, ASD and ADHD. Umber is Muslim, Queer, Agender and British Pakistani. After attending the Courtauld Institute and earning a Bachelors in the History of Art, they chose to pursue a role within the production of art and visual culture representing marginalised communities. Umber worked primarily as a Makeup Artist from 2014 to 2021, choosing to create an environment that recognises the responsibility and intimacy of this role.
The creativity of historically silenced communities is only ethically consumed when those communities are treated with respect in its production and distribution. Disabled, Racialised and LGBTQIA people remain underserved, exploited and gatekept from the beauty and art industries despite our historic contributions.
Due to the inaccessible and exploitative nature of practicing makeup artistry commercially, Umber stopped working as a commercial makeup artist in 2021. Now Umber is focusing on intra-community work such as one-on-one and group workshops, speaking engagements and activism, as well as fine art and writing.
Clients
The United Nations, British Film Institute, QX Magazine, Paper Magazine, British Vogue, Vogue Italia, The Wellcome Trust, Revolution Beauty, Lush Cosmetics, Gay Times, Levis, Queer Britain, AfroPunk, Gal Dem Magazine, Mykki Blanco, Alok Vaid Menon, Travis Alabanza, Katy Jalili, Rae Young, Malik Nashad Sharpe, Kuchenga Shenje, Shon Faye
Talks & Workshops
ONCA | Decolonising Beauty Standards
Tate Britain | Playing with Gender
The Wellcome Collection | Subverting The Cult of Beauty
Writing
Beyond the Binary | What does Decolonisation look like for the children of colonised lands?
Beyond the Binary | Makeup is Art Beyond the Binary, Selfies are Self Portraits
Dazed Beauty | How my 10-step Korean skincare routine became an act of feminist self-care
Open Democracy | Transforming the Politics of Makeup
Lush | As a LGBTQI person of colour, here’s what I’ve learned about the makeup industry
The Norwich Radical | The Struggle of painting your many faces
Press
Advocate | Because I'm an Activist Makeup Artist
Burnt Roti Magazine | Issue 2
Evening Standard | Meet the LGBTQ+ Londoners shaking up sexuality and gender
Gal Dem | This makeup artist is smashing the industry’s cis white beauty standards
Gay Times | Queer makeup artist Umber Ghauri shares their story for Disability History Month
them. | This Makeup Artist Is Making Dreams Come True for Queer and Trans People of Color
Vogue India | 7 personalities who are helping us evolve our conversations around gender identities
Wear Your Voice | 7 trans gender nonconforming make up artists follow on instagram
Dazed Beauty | How my 10-step Korean skincare routine became an act of feminist self-care