Imran Qureshi

About

This new exhibition at QUAD will offer an insight into the world of contemporary miniature painting – core to Qureshi’s practice – from Pakistan. Rooted in the tradition of 16th Century Mughal art and culture, contemporary miniature painting has at its core the National College of Art (NCA) in Lahore, where this discipline has been taught since the early 1900s. The project in Derby will be divided into two main but inter-linked parts: a display of works by Imran Qureshi in QUAD Gallery One and the ‘Maktab’, an itinerant painting academy which will be set up in the QUAD Gallery Two. 

The first Maktab (‘school’ in Arabic) was set up by Imran Qureshi in Lahore’s Old Fort as part of the First Lahore Biennial in 2018, with the support of the Aga Khan Museum and the NCA. The miniature painting Maktab for QUAD will consist of seven recent NCA graduates who will work in QUAD Gallery Two and will collaborate with a group of artists from the UK. 

Imran Qureshi has taught at the NCA since graduation and has always considered teaching an integral part of his practice. His exhibition at QUAD will include a site-specific installation, a group of recent works on canvas and some new videos. The project will be completed by a showcase of work by recent NCA graduate artists that took part in the first Maktab in 2018. 

The first Maktab school was a project initiated by Aga Khan Museum of Islamic Art, Toronto; National College of Arts Lahore, and Lahore Biennale Foundation.

Imran Qureshi is represented by Corvi-Mora, London and Galerie