Art Space

Events

More Than Meets the Eye

17 December, 2015

@Gandhara-art Space Karachi 17th December 2015 - 12th January, 2016 Arif Mehmood Alia Bilgrami Emaan Rana Hina Farooqui Farid Alvie Curated by Malika Abbas Artists have always pushed technical and conceptual boundaries to constantly evolve their art. Photographers in particular have always been interested in exploring alternative processes. However with the advancements in digital technology currently, the availability of the materials required for these processes is close to impossible. Furthermore applications and filters currently exist to achieve effects that previously employed tedious methods and techniques. This show discusses how artists are using methods of this digital age to experiment with technique and keep the ethos & passion for alternative photography alive.

Pretty Can Be Gritty

01 October, 2015

The works of art in this exhibition are lush in their treatment and yet the issues of urbanization these attempt to engage with are not a local, but a global phenomena. A 'glocal' phenomena, which is dealt with a light touch of irony and a sprinkle of satire. Saba Khan's uses kitschy materials to create satirical paintings depicting layered deserts and houses. Sara Khan uses bullet holes to symbolise body piercings in portraiture and reveals violence in contemporary society while Sausan Saulat's paintings of utilitarian objects on flower-adorned wallpaper pushes this paradox even further.

Cross Fire

06 August, 2015 Living in three separate continents, Khadim Ali (Australia), Sher Ali (Afghanistan) and Mahwish Chishty (USA) are reconnecting with their personal history through this collaborative exhibition that examines transition of decade-long 'war on terror'. Underlying concerns such as demonizing the political foe, the embodiment of good and evil by the superior and inferior, respectively, has been a common thread throughout history and across cultures and societies. The forces and groups representing "the superior/good" have used every available means and opportunities to suppress "the inferior/evil", without being accountable to any stakeholders. They have also defined and re-defined the terms of any social, cultural, economic and political relations between themselves and "the other", as they have manipulated the religious and historical narrations to maintain the status quo.

The Science of Taking a Walk

21 May, 2015

The Science of Taking a Walk Navigating/ (Re) Navigating - Forming Trajectories Curated by Hajra Haider Karrar. Duration of the Exhibition : May 21 - July 10 May 21 at 5:00pm to Jul 10 at 8:00pm in UTC+05 Artists Bani Abidi Farida Batool Yaminay Chaudhry Naiza Khan Shalalae Jameel Seher Naveed & Seema Nusrat... Fazal Rizvi Omer Wasim People can see nothing around them that is not their own image; everything speaks to them of themselves. Their very landscape is animated. Obstacles were everywhere. And they were all interrelated, maintaining a unified reign of poverty. -Karl Marx The artists'™ curiosity often takes him / her to navigating unknown paths or (re)navigating paths known. The trajectory formed is one that varies with the artists’ observations and interests. Physical aspects of the space or cultural mannerisms/ behaviourisms, what is it that clicks with the artist and becomes a point of departure and entry. How are the points/stations determined in this trajectory? Is the collective subconscious at play while these new associations are being established? Foreign lands or personal domain can both be challenging in this regard, personal domain maybe even more so, since unlearning or disregarding certain knowledge and habits maybe required in order to starting afresh. How these trajectories are then translated so that glimpses of the artists'™ experience are made available to be experienced by the viewer? Is the viewer then able to see through the lens of the artist and relate/ recognize/ associate with his experience? These are some of the questions which will be explored in this exhibition.

Gandhara-art 2015

15 March, 2015

From emerging talents to the Modern masters of both Asia and the West, Art Basel in Hong Kong traces twelve decades of art history across its six sectors: Galleries, Insights, Discoveries, Encounters, Magazines and Film. On display will be the highest quality of paintings, sculptures, drawings, installations, photographs, video and editioned works from the 20th and 21st centuries, by more than 3,000 artists from Asia and around the globe. The show will also offer extensive opportunities for intellectual discovery, through discussions and presentations, creating a platform of cross-cultural exchanges for artists, gallerists, collectors, and visitors. Gandhara is showcasing the works of: Adeel Uz Zafar Atif Khan Khadim Ali Noor Ali Chagani Muhammad Zeeshan Saira Wasim & Sher Ali

Hybrid II

12 February, 2015

Atif Khan & Damon Kowarsky at Gandhara-Art Space Karachi In 2012 Damon Kowarsky and Atif Khan worked together at the National College of Arts Lahore to produce 'Hybrid I', a series of 20 hand printed etchings. Where the first project investigated Pakistan 'Hybrid II' took 'Commonwealth' as its theme and looked at the shared cultural heritage of Pakistan and Australia. These links are evident in part through the countries' shared colonial histories, and the post-independence establishment of national identities and images. The images in 'Hybrid II' were developed in a back and forth process. Because the artists are in separate countries much of this exchange was by email. Each month the artists exchanged images that were then transformed by the other artist to produce a true hybrid of ideas. The back and forth negotiation meant that the overall concept was open to development and transformation. Cohesion across the suite was maintained by adhering to pre-determined sizes. The printmaking process, with its technical focus on ink, paper and metal, helped unify the different artistic elements into a whole. The first part of the project took place via email from January to September 2014. Each exchange referred to the previous ideas, or branched out into new areas. Nearly 30 drawings, resulted, of which 25 were selected for the final project.

One for the Birds

23 December, 2014

Muhammad Zeeshan Gandhara-art Space Karachi Currently we are living in a time of great polarity: the political and corporate establishments world-wide are exploiting the minor differences within populations that have long lived intermixed and peacefully. Because of these minute differences in worship and culture being exasperated, humanity is embroiled in ideological and physical battles. Zeeshan’s work shows the similarities that are more apparent and less important than the so-called differences. Honouring historical and metaphysical figures from Hinduism, mysticism and Islam, the characters of ‘One for the Birds’ celebrate the Subcontinent’s cultural diversity. Extending well beyond geography, transcending time and religious boundaries, the commonality shared by each of the characters of ‘One For the Birds namely: Lal, Zuljina, AlamDaar, Mohabat ka Khudda and Ganymede” are their timeless association with justice and fairness.

Publication Launch of Stranger than Fiction

19 December, 2014

In conjunction with the show ‘Stranger than Fiction”, Gandhara launched a catalogue to compliment Adeel Uz Zafar’s work. The catalogue has essays written by Nifsa Rizvi, Susan Acret, Zarmeene Shah and a foreword by Amna Tirmizi Naqvi. The Artist Talk & Panel Discussion included the artist Adeel Uz Zafar and writers Nafisa Rizvi & Zarmeene Shah. Discussion was moderated by Amna Tirmizi Naqvi.

Stranger than Fiction

21 October, 2014

Adeel uz Zafar

Gandhara-art Space Karachi

Stranger than fiction features a selection of seminal anthropomorphic characters known around the world for their incredible feats and heroic actions. The imagined content is not necessarily based on facts, but it contemplates and interrogates society, politics, philosophy, life and adventure. It highlights the hopes, frustrations, dreams and disclosure from some of the living experiences of everyday life.Â

Gandhara-art 2014

15 May, 2014

Gandhara-art 2014

Adeel Uz Zafar, Aisha Khalid, Khadim Ali, Imran Qureshi, Noor Ali Chagani & Sher Ali

With half of the participating galleries coming from Asia and Asia-Pacific, Art Basel in Hong Kong assumes a significant role in the international artworld, providing a portal to the region's artists. The new show gives galleries from around the world a platform in Asia to demonstrate the way they work with artists, and bring their highest quality work to Hong Kong. From emerging talents to the Modern masters of both Asia and the West, Art Basel in Hong Kong traces twelve decades of art history across its six sectors: Galleries, Insights, Discoveries, Encounters, Magazines and Film. On display will be the highest quality of paintings, sculptures, drawings, installations, photographs, video and editioned works from the 20th and 21st centuries, by more than 2,000 artists from Asia and around the globe.Â


The show will also offer extensive opportunities for intellectual discovery, through discussions and presentations, creating a platform of cross-cultural exchanges for artists, gallerists, collectors, and visitors.

Gandhara will be presenting artworks be Adeel Uz Zafar, Aisha Khalid, Khadim Ali, Imran Qureshi, Noor Ali Chagani & Sher Ali.

 

Let'sTake It Outside

10 April, 2014

Gandhara Art presents
‘Let’s Take It Outside’
 
Ahsan Jamal, Imrana Tanveer, Nashmia Haroon &
Noor Ali Chagani
 
Using the popular phrase ‘Let's Take It Outside' which commonly translates to taking the disagreement or the fight elsewhere, this exhibition plays on the notion of moving the narrative or the dialogue away from its present condition. Thus, moving it away from the corridors of power and drawing rooms, to a place where it is more relevant and unhindered. It challenges the notion of exclusivity and seeks to provide a voice to those whose opinions are have historically been tolerated but ignored like a mild irritant. The question to put forward would be, who might those be. The public at large.
The work of all four artists, Ahsan Jamal's quiet portraits and still landscapes, Imrana Tanveer's tongue in check commentary on the realm of power, Noor Ali Chagani's exposed brickwork and Nashmia Haroon's scaffolding all call for pushing the narrative to its rightful place - Outside
 
Preview  5-8 pm on Thursday, April 10, 2014
Exhibition  12 -7 pm April 10-July 5, 2014
F-65/2, Kehkashan 4, Clifton, Karachi
+923332284918

 

Midnight Garden by Imran Qureshi

15 February, 2014

For this exhibition Imran Qureshi has created eight miniature landscapes. In a sense his work moves away from the abstraction of his larger works towards the formalism of the miniature. His other landscape miniatures, such as those shown in Berlin last year were his abstractive imagery creeping into the formalism of the miniature, a depiction of his large scale installations. In these landscapes the blood motif is increasingly formal and classical. The abstractive marks are not a stranger to the landscape but have moved into and become an actual part of the landscape with the blood red foliate forms. These works are more strongly connected to the miniature and therefore the narrative element is observed with clarity, it is almost like coming home or visiting the source of the tradition. In some of the works the ferocious blood splatter motifs disappear and only the landscapes remain, but there is something that is disturbing and threatening about these. There is violence which is not overt but covert and leaves one with a sense of greater unease.

When I am Silent by Aisha Khalid

15 February, 2014

For this exhibition Aisha Khalid has expanded on the theme of her earlier works, which dealt with concepts of spirituality and the divine. Khalid will be showing a series of six paintings in this show. Earlier the ‘Burqa’ or the ‘Veil’ in her work symbolised the curtain which conceals the divine and the invisible. Though in certain works, the veiled figure had also stood for the self. These veils had gaps or slits, which were like glimpses into the invisible. In this series she gone a step further and has physically divided the works. These works are cut and slashed and appear like an exercise to negate the self or the ego. The tulip which had emerged in her work at the Rijksakademie, Amsterdam has matured, and still stands tall but is prepared to temper the self.

to define is to limit

17 October, 2013

Saira Wasim received her Bachelors in Fine Art from the National College of Arts. Teeming with figures captured in mid-action, paintings by Saira Wasim present grand narratives. If it weren’t for their petite size and two-dimensionality, they might be mistaken for Greek mythology, Baroque opera, epic film, or other monumental genres. Like the protagonists of such grand genres, Wasim’s characters gesticulate, prance, shoot, and fly in majestic style. They laugh and boast in hideous fashion, and morph into grotesque hybrid creatures that hint at transcendent themes of good and evil. Wasim’s work has been exhibited at The Asian Art Museum San Francisco, Contemporary Arts Centre Cincinnati, Asia Society Museum New York and Harris Museum & Art Gallery, UK.

Haunted Lotus

07 October, 2013

Khadim Ali received his Bachelor of Fine Art and trained in the art of contemporary miniature painting at the prestigious National College of Art in Lahore, Pakistan, in mural painting and calligraphy at Tehran University, Iran, and has just completed his Master of Fine Art from University of New South Wales Sydney, Australia. Ali is inspired by his rich cultural heritage and uses traditional artistic techniques to convey the complex history of South Asia. The figures in his work are fantastical and monumental either angels or demons. His work has been exhibited at the Guggenheim Museum NYC, The British Museum London, Hara Museum, Tokyo, The Venice Biennale and at Documeta 13.

Are You in Character?

22 August, 2013

Four young artists Adeel Uz Zafar, Cyra Ali, Muzamil Ruheel & Sara Khan presenting their works at 'Are You in Character?' exhibition at Gandhara Art Space in Karachi.

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