Shradha Ramesh on a new group-exhibition at Lahore Art Gallery in Pakistan

New York: Last year, a panel discussion at Saffronart in London addressed the question of identity and innovation in Pakistani art. It seems as if the group exhibition of works by Mohammad Ali Talpur, Hasnat Mehmood, Muhammad Zeeshan, Adeela Suleman and Nausheen Saeed that opened at Lahore Art Gallery last week is almost an extension of this discussion. The five artists are among those instrumental in steering Pakistan’s contemporary art to new levels of visibility on the international stage.

The works in the exhibition ‘Here and Now’ represent the artists’ responses to current political and socio-economic issues in Pakistan. The exhibit is a breakthrough both in terms of concept and artistic technique. Mohammad Ali Talpur is known to portray Pakistan in an inimitable light that is known to the world. Adeela Suleman’s expression through found metal objects and industrial materials stands out, and was one of the central attractions at the recent Pulse Art Fair in New York. According to Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper, it is interesting to see how all five artists unanimously convey the same message using very different mediums.

To read more on the exhibition, click here