Move as One reimagines the spirit of the horse as a creature of endurance, movement, and freedom translated into pattern and geometry. The artwork features interlocking horse forms where steps, pixels, and symmetry evoke rhythm and momentum. The repeated horses appear in motion yet in balance, embodying the courage to move forward together through turbulence.
Growing up, I was always fascinated by the animals of the Lunar New Year and how each carried meaning, shaping the passage of time through their stories. For me, the Lunar New Year remains a moment of renewal and reflection, a time to honour cycles of change and strength found in community.
The overall composition draws from textile traditions and digital architectures, merging ancient and contemporary forms of storytelling. Each horse becomes a vessel of collective strength in the face of uncertainty. Move as One reminds us that courage is not solitary; it is shared, patterned through the connections we hold with one another.
Mustaali Raj is an independent visual artist and designer with a multi-disciplinary practice. Along with celebrating and advocating for diversity in the creative sector, Mustaali’s creative approach centers around community building, elevating concept and designing for social good. Being both a third culture kid and an avid traveller, his sense of belonging extends well beyond geographic boundaries. This multi-faceted sense of belonging and experiences play an important role in exploring intersection of identities through his work. He is a circle, living in a square, drawing triangles.
Move as One
Move as One reimagines the spirit of the horse as a creature of endurance, movement, and freedom translated into pattern and geometry. The artwork features interlocking horse forms where steps, pixels, and symmetry evoke rhythm and momentum. The repeated horses appear in motion yet in balance, embodying the courage to move forward together through turbulence.
Growing up, I was always fascinated by the animals of the Lunar New Year and how each carried meaning, shaping the passage of time through their stories. For me, the Lunar New Year remains a moment of renewal and reflection, a time to honour cycles of change and strength found in community.
The overall composition draws from textile traditions and digital architectures, merging ancient and contemporary forms of storytelling. Each horse becomes a vessel of collective strength in the face of uncertainty. Move as One reminds us that courage is not solitary; it is shared, patterned through the connections we hold with one another.
Mustaali Raj is an independent visual artist and designer with a multi-disciplinary practice. Along with celebrating and advocating for diversity in the creative sector, Mustaali’s creative approach centers around community building, elevating concept and designing for social good. Being both a third culture kid and an avid traveller, his sense of belonging extends well beyond geographic boundaries. This multi-faceted sense of belonging and experiences play an important role in exploring intersection of identities through his work. He is a circle, living in a square, drawing triangles.
The Lantern City is grateful to be held on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish Nation), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation). We acknowledge our privilege to be gathered on this land, and commit to work with and be respectful to the Indigenous peoples whose arts and stories inspire us to bring communities together.
