Rise and Shine

Text: Salwat Ali
Photography: Courtesy Salwat Ali

Making waves or just creating ripples the presence of Pakistani art continues to stream ahead on the international circuit. While the attention is centered mainly on young generation and some mid-career artists the recent spotlight on old master art is also exciting. Revisiting to reexamine the art of Anwer Jalal,  Shemza and Rasheed Araeen through two London exhibitions is a significant development regarding the status of these artists at home as well as their standing abroad. 

 

The thriving 1960s and 70s London art scene was arguably less receptive to artists from beyond Europe and the US. Two London based galleries; Aicon in association with Green Cardamom presented "When the Sixties Didn't Swing" at Whitechapel Art Gallery in September 2010. This talk focused on the experiences of artists from India and Pakistan who arrived in London in the 1960's, to an art world that often ignored their presence. Panelists Rachel Garfield, Amna Malik, Hammad Nasar and Niru Ratnam discussed the impact of this phenomenon on artists and art history. The talk coincided with the solo shows of Rasheed Araeen at Aicon Gallery and A.J. Shemza at Green Cardamom.