Most contemporary buzz words including--- but not limited to--- decolonisation, heritage, and culture are applicable to the show Tigers and Dragons: India and Wales in Britain at the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery in Swansea, Wales. At this juncture, a liminal…
Ahmed Parvez was intensely devoted to his art, in fact there was nothing that was not intense about him. He had strong opinions and often disagreed with his peers. Compromise in life did not come easily to him either. His…
About two decades ago, during a visit to India, I found myself at an emporium in Udaipur, Rajasthan. The space was alive with colour and devotion—walls adorned with Pichwais and other forms of Krishna-inspired devotional art, while artisans worked in…
In an introduction to the exhibition (Un)layering the future past of South Asia: Young Artists Voices states, ‘Artists in the region ruminate on many common concerns; the creative imagination in seemingly disparate locations is curiously connected by resilience and inventiveness.7’…
Stone, in its silent endurance, stands as a paradox--- inert yet expressive, permanent yet shaped by time. Across cultures and centuries, it has not only built our shelters, tools, and monuments, but also housed our metaphors for memory, resilience, and…
A tribute to Riffat Alvi at the Arts Council brought together dozens of people who know and love her. Among them were friends and fellow artists such as Meher Afroz and Ghalib Baqar--- we have all known Riffat for nearly…
The medium of Mughal miniature painting is defined fundamentally by its meticulous brushwork and narrative style. Rooted in South Asian visual culture, the art form flourished under the patronage of the Mughal emperors. Under their watchful eyes, court artists produced…