[2] Sikander moved to the United States and attended the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), earning a Master of Fine Arts in Painting and Printmaking in 1995.
[6] The traditional form of miniature painting requires equal measures of discipline, gesture and expression in order to execute a careful layering of color and detail.
Compositionally, miniature paintings exhibit an extensive display of colorful imagery, including human forms, animals, patterns, shapes, dots and connecting lines.
Her forms and figures exhibit a quality of continual morphing as transparent imagery is layered, providing a complexity with endless shifts in perception.
[8] Many hues, patterns and incidents appear in The Scroll, identifying Sikander's attention to small detail, muted color palettes, and understanding of architectural elements juxtaposed with the intimacies of domestic culture.
Earlier paintings also include elements of Gopi, or the cowherd female devotees and lovers of the deity Krishna in Hindu mythology, while figures of men are depicted as "turbaned warriors.
The breakdown of form also gives a stationary drawing the illusion of transformation, which as a topic has given me a lot of space to experiment and imagine throughout my work.Similarly to her miniature paintings, Sikander relies on the process of layering to create digital animation.
Sikander explains that the veil gave her an ultimate sense of security, stating that, "It was wonderful to not have people see my facial or body language, and at the same time be in control and know that they did not know I was acting, and checking their reaction.
Her larger works are reminiscent of a centuries-old Indian practice in which women regularly paint figures all over the walls and floors of their houses, using "whole body" gestural movements.
Nemesis, a site-specific installation at the Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery, features a jewel-like paintings as small as six by eight inches and two animations.
[19][better source needed] Sikander places a strong emphasis on feminist messaging in her artwork, often using it as an avenue to initiate discussions surrounding religion and politics.
As a muslim woman living in New York in the midst of the aftermath of 9/11, Sikander made note of the growing interest in middle eastern women and islam in the west through her art.
In Pleasure Pillars, Sikander makes a clear reference to the destruction of the twin towers in 2001 as the women in the painting are depicted shooting beams and creating explosions.
Sikander utilizes the human body to push the boundaries between what is praised as masculine and feminine, highlighting the sensual qualities of the female form and how it is often overshadowed.