Tokyo Gallery + BTAP is pleased to present an exhibition entitled “Intimate Pictures: Pakistani Contemporary Miniatures”. The gallery has mainly been oriented towards contemporary art from Korea and China since the 1970s, and this exhibition showcases the latest cutting-edge art from South Asia as an extension of this focus. On display are paintings by Imran Qureshi, an internationally-active artist and former representative to the Venice Biennale, in addition to works by 9 graduates of the National College of Arts in Lahore, where... Read more

Tokyo Gallery + BTAP is pleased to present an exhibition entitled “Intimate Pictures: Pakistani Contemporary Miniatures”. The gallery has mainly been oriented towards contemporary art from Korea and China since the 1970s, and this exhibition showcases the latest cutting-edge art from South Asia as an extension of this focus. On display are paintings by Imran Qureshi, an internationally-active artist and former representative to the Venice Biennale, in addition to works by 9 graduates of the National College of Arts in Lahore, where Qureshi currently serves as associate professor.

Miniature painting in Pakistan originated during the Mughal Empire, which ruled over a large portion of the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia from the 16th through 19th centuries. Policies to appease both the Muslim and Hindu populations resulted in a cultural fusion that also led to new developments and innovations in the field of miniature painting. This particular medium combined the architectural rigor and lyrical contours typical of royal Persian painting with lucid colors and a form of expression that was rooted in the vernacular culture of the region. Pakistani miniature painting also incorporates a variety of elements from Chinese, Indian and European art and culture that enhance its hybrid character.

Since the 19th century, following the collapse of the Mughal Empire, the advent of European colonization, the declaration of independent rule and the Indo-Pakistani war, the traditions of Mughal painting continue to survive in present-day Pakistan, underwritten by a sense of religious inheritance and institutional support from academic organizations. Nourished by these traditions, contemporary Pakistani art is currently undergoing a sort of renaissance.

Contemporary Pakistani paintings inherit the techniques used in Mughal miniatures while also making use of modern materials like acrylic, ink, marker and ballpoint pen, as well as unique additions such as human hair. The work of Imran Qureshi, in particular, goes far beyond the framework of miniature painting and attains the quality of an installation. The motifs associated with the life of the imperial court that used to feature prominently in traditional miniatures have also been replaced by strong social and political themes.Artists such as Khadim Ali, who deals with the theme of violence and its psychological impact on children, and Attiya Shaukat, whose work is based on an accident that led to her physical disability, have transformed the genre into a site for personal expression.

In Mughal culture, the miniature painting is preserved and cherished as a sort of personal album. Although contemporary Pakistani art continues to be displayed in public spaces, what makes its distinctive are the private associations that it originally embodied. We hope you take the opportunity to view this exhibition of cutting-edge Asian art that demonstrates the rich potential of merging innovation with tradition.