Art Space

Events

“Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” - ‘a little night music’

January 25 - March 16, 2024

“Eine Kleine Nachtmusik”, (translation: ‘a little night music’, taken after Mozart’s Serenade No. 13 in G Major), is an exploration of and response to the concept of the divine dark; a period of gestation and creation, as narrated in various ancient Eastern genesis myths such as the Bundahishn, and the Old and New Testaments (among others). These textual narrations, originating from various traditions and timelines exemplify the concept of duality within existence and describe the continuous cycles of destruction, disintegration and regeneration of the earthly and hybrid creations that exist and persist through the passing of time, thus portraying forms in flux, ultimately creating a site and sight for the celebration of continuous cycles of origination and termination.

The (often metaphorical) textual descriptions instigate questions of posterity and permanence within the continuous state of dichotomous dwelling; how might we merge these mythological frameworks for deific stories and to what extent can we find webs of connectivity between these ancient stories of the past and how might we mine them for meaning in our present and for the future? The imagery therefore deals with creating connections within these timeless texts, seeking out thematic and narrative commonalities across these sacred mythologies and merging together interpretations of the elements (air, earth, fire and water), flora and fauna in tandem, tension and turmoil.

Many of these myths describe entities which are thereby moved by paradoxes (and duality); the coalescence between matter and spirit, organic growth and the static, between inanimate element and the ensouled. They are reflective of a journey that corresponds closely to our own instinctively anxious progression, from the presumed to the indefinite and from the concrete to the imagined. They urge a re-viewing and reframing of our existence through the vision of an ecologically spiritual lens, imagining the world might yet be converted to a new, spiritual and care driven sensibility. Their representations are that of transcendental knowledge and (suggested) hybridization are their visual mantra.

Let's Not Talk About Politics

31 May, 2012

Pakistan is a country rife with conversation. It is both the warp and the weft of the fabric of this particular society, and therefore passionate discourse about politics is inevitable. It permeates our consciousness from television talk shows to heated discussions in sitting rooms, offices or over a cup of tea or coffee. Pakistani contemporary art celebrates this conversation and there is much discourse and a great deal of imagery related to the subject in art being created. Though we are passionate about our politics, this show aims to be apolitical. The works exhibited in this show, are those that arose from the social consciousness, the subconscious and deeply personal narratives of the featured artists. Of course if one really tries hard then one might discover something political in each of these works but we would urge you “Let's Not Talk About Politics".

Gandhara-art @ Art HK12

17 May, 2012

Aisha Khalid and Imran Qureshi are the pioneers of the Neo Contemporary Miniature Art Movement which emerged from Pakistan in the 1990s. Both are graduates of the National College of Arts, in Lahore Pakistan. Since then Khalid and Qureshi have shown their works in numerous international galleries, biennials, museums, and art fairs.

Qureshi is the recipient of the Sharjah Biennial 2011 Jury Prize for his site specific installation 'Blessings upon the Land of My Love' and his work has been exhibited at the Venice Biennial, MOMA Oxford, Asia Society Museum New York and the Singapore Biennial amongst others. Qureshi lives and works in Lahore, Pakistan, where he teaches at the National College of Arts, Lahore.

Khalid has just been short listed for the Victoria & Albert Museum's Jameel Prize and her work has been exhibited at the Venice Biennial, the Whitney Biennial, the Belvedere Museum, Vienna and a mid career retrospective at the Pump House Gallery in London. Khalid lives and works in Lahore, Pakistan.

Khadim Ali received his BFA in miniature painting from the National College of Arts, Lahore in 2003. Ali draws on imagery from sources including the Shahnamah-The Persian Book of Kings and the Bamiyan Buddhas as his inspiration as he is originally from Bamiyan. Ali’s work was included in the Asia Pacific Triennial, 2006 and is currently being exhibited at Gemak, Gementee Museum, Netherlands. He has recently completed residencies at the Fukuoka Museum of Asian Art, Japan and the Queensland Art Gallery in Australia and now is preparing to participate in Documenta(13), 2012 in Kassel, Germany. Khadim lives and works in Sydney, Australia.

Atif Khan, (born 1972, Pakistan), graduated (with distinction) in 1997 in Fine Art from the National College of Arts in Lahore and in 1998 was awarded the UNESCO-ASHBURG Bursary, completing a residency at Darat-al-Funun in Amman, Jordan. He received Commonwealth Arts & Crafts Award in 2007. He was also appointed artist in residence at the Swansea Print Workshop in Wales, London Print Studio in England and Glasgow Print Studio in Scotland, during the years 2005 to 2008. He has participated in art workshops in India, Bangladesh and Jordan. He has exhibited throughout Pakistan, India, USA, UK, Australia, Dubai, Jordan, Singapore and Hong Kong. In 2012, he is participating at ‘India Art Fair’ in New Delhi and ‘Art HK 12’ in Hongkong. Alongside his artistic practice, Khan is the faculty member at the NCA in Lahore, Pakistan.

Rashid Rana - Translation/Transliterations

21 October, 2011

Gandhara-art Hong Kong in collaboration with Lisson Gallery London, presents Rashid Rana’s public solo exhibition ‘Translation/Transliteration at Pao Galleries, Hong Kong Art Centre, Hong Kong. Rashid Rana is widely considered to be one of the most prominent and original contemporary artists working in South Asia today.This exhibition will be composed of selected works from 2004 to the present, divided into four distinct narratives. Works will include Rana’s photo sculptures, large scale photo mosaics, and new works from the Translation/Transliterations series.

Rashid Rana was born in Lahore, Pakistan in 1968, and after his Bachelors in Fine Art from The National College of Arts, Lahore in 1992, he acquired a Masters in Fine Arts from the Massachusetts College of Art, Boston in 1994.Rana’s most significant body of works is widely acknowledged to be his photographic mosaic pieces, with their powerful narratives of duality and contradiction.

Rana’s work has been shown in biennials, museums and galleries around the world, including Lisson Gallery, London (2011) The Musée Guimet, Paris (2010), Asia Society Museum, New York (2009), National Museum of Taiwan (2009), Whitechapel Gallery, London (2010), Satchi Gallery, London (2010) and the Singapore Art Museum (2011).

Gandhara-art @ ArtHK11

25 May, 2011 Aisha Khalid and Imran Qureshi are the pioneers of the Neo Contemporary Miniature Art Movement which emerged from Pakistan in the 1990s. Both are graduates of the National College Of Arts, in Lahore Pakistan. Since then Khalid and Qureshi have shown their works in numerous international galleries, biennials, museums, and art fairs. Qureshi is the recipient of the Sharjah Biennial 2011 Jury Prize for his site specific installation 'Blessings Upon the Land of My Love' and his work has been exhibited at the Venice Biennial, MOMA Oxford, Asia Society Museum New York and the Singapore Biennial amongst others. Khalid has just been short listed for the Victoria & Albert Museum's Jameel Prize and her work has been exhibited at the Venice Biennial, the Whitney Biennial, the Belvedere Museum, Vienna and a mid career retrospective at the Pump House Gallery in London. Both the artists will be showing large scale miniatures, and Khalid will also be showing a sculptural installation.

'Desperately Seeking Paradise' by Rashid Rana

25 May, 2011

Special Project by Gandhara-art at ArtHK11

'Desperately Seeking Paradise' by Rashid Rana

Desperately Seeking Paradise is Rashid Rana's seminal work and it has spawned several works which are derived from it. The sheer scale and drama of this work is a primary reason as well as the contradictions and duality that exist in this piece. A sculpture always demands and receives greater interaction then works which are two-dimensional. The mathematical precision, engineering and the logic of the grid in this work, is extremely appealing. The narrative of the high rise buildings composed of images of houses in Lahore. Nostalgia, ambition, beauty, disorientation, and so many more emotions that come into play when one looks upon this work. Rashid Rana is one of Pakistan's most well known contemporary artists. His work has been exhibited at the Musee Guimet, Paris, Asia Society Museum, New York, House of World Cultures, Berlin the Singapore Biennial and the Asian Art Biennial amongst others"

whitewash

07 May, 2011

The show will be constituted by wall-based drawings and artworks, rendered directly onto Gandhara's walls. While this process asks questions about value and exchange within contemporary art, the wall-based artworks of this exhibition will also raise questions about artist's production, the significance of the studio, the function of the gallery and the viewer's experience within the environment of artworks.
For this exhibition we will be exploiting the gallery wall-space in an alternative way. The walls are the medium, and point of installation. In fact, we will be doing what we're naturally inclined to avoid and have repeatedly been told not to do – to make marks upon, to paint, even to vandalise the pristine gallery wall. In so doing, this exhibition will become a space in which to
re-examine the 'value' of art, and to play with the term 'value' itself.

Participating artists:
Abdullah M I Syed
Atif Khan
Reem Khurshid
Sivim A Naqvi
Sumaira Tazeen

Gandhara-art@Art Dubai 2011

15 March, 2011

We are showing the works of contemporary artists Imran Qureshi, Aisha Khalid and modern master Sadequain.

Damsel in a Shining Armour

13 January, 2011

An Exhibition by
Attiya Shaukat

Gandhara-art Space
F-65/2 Kehkashan
Clifton Block-4
Karachi, Pakistan

The Architecture of the Self

16 October, 2010

'The Architecture of the Self' is an exhibition focusing on the work of Pakistan's most promising contemporary artists. All three of them work in completely different media, yet there is a common element in their work. Their work reveals the inner structure of the human psyche. Noor Ali Chaghani is a contemporary miniaturist, but his forte is sculptures of miniature red bricks. Imran Mudassar graduated in printmaking and his drawings of the consequences of war are exquisite, yet heartbreaking. Both of them are from National College of Arts in Lahore, Pakistan while Haider Ali Jan, completed his graduation at the Beaconhouse National University and is an artist adept at working in new media, as his bold digital prints reveal.

Flood Relief Fundraiser

21 September, 2010

This live auction is a part of the 'Pakistanis for Flood Relief' initiative which is being driven by the Pakistani community in Hong Kong. Live Auction at the Event includes work by Aisha Khalid, Imran Mudassar and Imran Qureshi. These works have specially been created for The Flood Relief Fundraiser. We are immensely thankful to these artists as 100% of the proceeds from the live auction will be donated to UNHCR. The UNCHR is working on the ground in the flood affected areas of Pakistan.

Gandhara-art @ ArtHK10

27 May, 2010

Gandhara-art is participating in the prestigious Hong Kong Art Fair 2010 and show casing the works of leading contemporary artists from Pakistan; Aisha Khalid, Attiya Shaukat, Faiza Butt, Imran Mudassar, and Imran Qureshi.

Aisha Hussain Karachi

20 May, 2010

Aisha Hussain uses the Wasli with a great deal of dexterity. The Walsi is a resilient surface and is constructed with layers of paper. Aisha takes it to the extreme, and her creations are made on surfaces which are made with multiple Waslis. It moves away from being a flat surface imprisoned behind glass, but has weight and depth. She calls it ‘raised wali’, therefore a new medium. The work is black and white, but scarlet enters as the new character and makes its own place on the surface.

Aisha Khalid at the Pao Hong Kong

22 April, 2010

Gandhara-art's contemporary focus will be on showcasing the works of the pioneers of the neo-contemporary miniature painting in Pakistan, Imran Qureshi & Aisha Khalid. This will be their 2nd exhibition in Hong Kong. Their work is instrumental in the contemporary resurrection of this traditional art form. Their oeuvre is all encompassing. It include paintings, sculptures as well as large scale installations which are exhibited in galleries, museums, art fairs and Biennales in Europe, Asia, the UK and the US and has also been shown at the MOMA-Oxford(2007), Fukuoka Museum(2002),Belvedere Museum(2009) and the Asia Society Museum New York(2009) and the 'Venice Biennale (2009).