Manuscript making and illumination in the Indian Mughal courts has been a well-recognized high-art form in South Asia between the fifteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Emperors, such as Akbar (b.1542-1605) and Shah Jahan (b.1592-1666), frequently posed on terraces of their…
A. R. Nagori once proclaimed that he had “earned the distinction of being the first painter in the Subcontinent to be censored.”13 He certainly wasn’t the last. How a state attempts to censor and censure artists ultimately reveals not only…
Asif Farrukhi and I were 'partners in crime' as he so often liked to joke. I had known Asif for so long that I really can't remember how we first met; perhaps we were introduced by Zaheer Kidvai. I must…
As I write about Asif, I feel a mix of emotions which include pride and honor as well as a sense of deep grief and disbelief. It has been more than a year now, yet I cannot come to terms…
Questions of power, privilege and power relations are seldom asked in craft development. Paradoxically enough many craft development projects with artisanal communities are labelled as ‘empowerment’ yet fail to recognise power can manifest in the very act of craft making…
Language and its usage in Pakistan is a contentious issue; while Urdu is recognized as the national language
Ruby Chishti’s sculptural art expresses a profound engagement with the human condition. It is poised at the meeting point of personal reflection, family history, memory, and the anxieties that beset the world. From her subjective and intuitive considerations, Ruby distils…
Loving Mama and Papa, Salam! The three of us are doing well, and I’m sure the two of you are great too. It’s been a few days since I have spoken to both of you, or even heard your voice.…
The spirit of Pakistani art in the early 21st century was perfectly captured by Nukta Art magazine. This magazine on contemporary art was published twice a year, from 2005 to 2013. For those eight years it existed as an intellectually…
The Lok Virsa Heritage Museum- The first State Museum of Ethnology located in Islamabad, Pakistan presents the history and existing traditions of the people of Pakistan. The Museum was established for the fundamental purpose of promoting and creating awareness of…
