Labiba Zaman

Labiba Zaman

For summer 2025, I was tasked to create a mural for the Graphic Design and Illustration department at Otis College of Art and Design. I used the opportunity to explore Bubby’s world. Inspired by my cat, Popsicle, I wanted to use her as a representation of the materialized universe because, at the time, I was exploring my own spirituality. My work is guided by self-reflection coupled with stylized nostalgia. This mural captures my shifting connection with spirituality through my character, Bubby (on the left). Bubby is an ephemeral imaginary friend that allows me to express the complexities of life through an idealised, whimsical lens of fantasy. The imposing figure to the right depicts my cat, Poppie (also known as Popsicle). The cat peeking through the clouds serves as a tether to the material universe outside of fantasy. Cats are curious animals, as pets they tend to keep to themselves, they demand care and expect tolerance of bites and scratches. Yet their presence always brings happiness and comfort to their owners. Sometimes the universe feels distant, its scale and vastness rendering it unrecognisable. But this pale blue dot, though surrounded by the abyss, contains the only heaven we know. It’s worth preserving even through days when all it seems to do is bite and scratch.