Collaborating with Nature Morte, Alserkal Avenue presents Vanishing Points, a solo exhibition by Pakistani artist Imran Qureshi. A prominent figure in the contemporary Indo-Persian miniature painting tradition from Lahore, Qureshi brings his latest body of work to Concrete at Alserkal Avenue, on view through 20 April 2025. The exhibition is curated by Nada Raza, Director of the Alserkal Arts Foundation.
Vanishing Points signals a new direction in Qureshi’s exploration of 16th-century Mughal art. This is evident in his lens-based art pieces, such as two video installations, Still/Moving (2019) and Deen O Duniya (Sacred and the Earthly) (2022), as well as the photo series This shared vision, yours and mine (2018-2024).
In Still/Moving, Qureshi captures a mirror mosaic depiction of the Kaaba, a motif increasingly found in mosques and shrines across Sindh and Punjab. Its reflective surface refracts the motion of traffic and pedestrians, evoking the ritual of circumambulation. Meanwhile, Deen o Duniya, displayed within a mirrored room, amplifies the LED lights used in religious celebrations, creating a kaleidoscopic environment where viewers lose their sense of orientation.
At the heart of the exhibition is Opening Word of This New Scripture (2025), a new site-specific commission for Concrete. Here, Qureshi transforms the venue’s largest wall into a monumental painted manuscript. This immersive piece references the ornate borders and “frame within a frame” devices of Indo-Persian painting and alters depth perception, inviting one to step into its layered world. Brightly coloured nylon rope used in South Asian charpai beds is woven into intricate geometric forms, while custom stools encourage visitors to sit and experience the space from within.
About the artist
Imran Qureshi (b. 1972, Hyderabad, Pakistan) earned his BFA with Distinction in 1993 from the National College of Art (NCA) in Lahore, where he has since gone on to teach. Deeply rooted in the miniature painting tradition, Qureshi has spent more than two decades expanding its vocabulary across various media, from detailed miniatures to large-scale installations, videos, and canvas works.
His practice synthesises historical Indo-Persian techniques with contemporary concerns, combining symbolism and gesture in a way that bridges local and global narratives. His signature use of gold leaf, symbolic of the celestial, contrasts with vivid splashes of red acrylic and delicate vine motifs, evoking beauty and human fragility. This interplay between intricate detail and the dynamic energy of action painting is a hallmark of his style.
Qureshi’s work has been featured in numerous exhibitions and major art events worldwide, including Karachi Biennale (Karachi, Pakistan, 2022); The Roof Garden Commission: Imran Qureshi (solo) (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, USA, 2013); and 55th Venice Biennale (Venice, Italy, 2013), to name a few. His art pieces are kept in notable public collections such as the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, the Kadist Art Foundation (Paris, France), and the British Museum (London).
Among Qureshi’s accolades are the Sharjah Biennale 10 Art Prize (2011), the Medal of Arts Award by the State Department of Washington (2017), and the Haji Muhammad Sharif Award for Miniature Painting (1993). He has also received Pakistan’s Presidential Award Sitara-i-Imtiaz and Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts and des Lettres.
To get more information about Vanishing Points, please go to the exhibition’s official web page.
In addition, you might be interested in visiting O Chimera, O Chimera by Bita Fayyazi and Unraveling by Huda Lutfi.
