Emerging interdisciplinary artist Adil Amin is set to debut with his first solo exhibition, Against all Odds, at Isza Gallery, Toronto on November 6, 2025. The exhibition, which will be on view from November 7 to November 30, features a selection of painting, poetry, and performance that explore themes of resilience, identity, and faith that People of Colour (POCs), just like Amin and his family, live through everyday. This is why Against All Odds by Adil Amin is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Reduced Inequalities.
Curated by Toronto based artist Elicser Elliott, who was first known for his street art and efforts to champion public art, Against all Odds sees Amin transforming his lived experiences into textured and layered compositions. Poems with titles such as Humble Beginnings and Confidence, Never Arrogance act as narrative bridges that reveal the formative experiences behind his art to audiences in a direct way. "I see art as a way to survive, to make sense of everything I've experienced," explains Amin. "This exhibition is my way of leaving a mark - proof of my existence rooted in creativity."
Before now living and working in Canada as an artist, Adil Amin had worked in several different fields while honing in on his painting practice. He was born in Blackburn, United Kingdom, where his grandparents had moved to from Pakistan in the late 1970s. Since completing a Foundation Degree in Fine Art at Blackburn College and studying at Birmingham City University, he has worked with oils, pastels, and acrylics–creating a body of work that becomes a visual autobiography of his experiences as a South Asian man who grew up in the Northwest of England.
In today’s times, where western democracies are increasingly displaying xenophobic attitudes and implementing anti-immigrant policies, Against all Odds establishes Amin as a compelling voice in contemporary Canadian art; serving as a voice for those who are being othered, all while being a beacon of hope for fellow POCs, a space to celebrate their resilience in the face of adversary.
“My work explores resilience, identity, and the intersections of culture, faith, and personal history, transforming experiences of migration, religion, and upbringing into acts of creation,” says Amin in his artistic statement.
This is how interdisciplinary artist Adil Amin transforms personal and collective struggles into powerful visual narratives. This is all packaged in his debut solo exhibition Against all Odds, opening November 6, 2025 at Toronto's Isza Gallery, curated by street artist Elicser Elliott. The exhibition features deeply autobiographical pieces, from intimate oil portraits to raw confessional poems, that trace Amin's journey from his working-class upbringing in Northwest England to his current life as an immigrant artist. In an era of rising xenophobia, Amin's work celebrates the quiet resilience of marginalized communities while directly confronting systemic inequalities.
Find out more about Against All Odds by Adil Amin and his other initiatives by checking his Instagram @adilaminstudio or his website www.adilamin.format.com.