Asia Society - Exhibition of Pakistan Gandhara Art

Asia Society Museum presents an exhibition of spectacular Buddhist sculptures, architectural reliefs and works of gold and bronze from the Gandhara region of Pakistan, most never exhibited before in the United States. The Buddhist Heritage of Pakistan: Art of Gandhara reveals the complex cultural influences — from Scytho-Parthian to Greco-Roman traditions — that fed the extraordinary artistic production of this region from the first century B.C.E. through fifth century C.E.

At its height, Gandhara — whose center was situated in present-day Peshawar in northwest Pakistan — encompassed Bamiyan in Afghanistan, Bactria, the Hindu Kush, and the Punjab region of northwest India.

Buddhism reached Gandhara as early as the third century B.C.E., and began to flourish in the first century C.E. as Silk Road trade and cross-cultural connections from the Mediterranean to China fostered its spread.

The majority of works in the exhibition are on loan from the National Museum in Karachi and Central Museum in Lahore. Comparative works are included from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Asia Society Museum, and private collections. The display is organized by Adriana Proser, Asia Society Museum's John H. Foster Curator for Traditional Asian Art.

The exhibition is accompanied by a fully-illustrated catalogue published by Asia Society in association with the Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik in Bonn, Germany. The book includes essays by scholars Christian Luczanits and Michael Jansen.

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BBC Interview - Pakistani artist Imran Qureshi wins Sharjah prize

Pakistani artist Imran Qureshi wins Sharjah prize 21 April 2011 Last updated at 15:47 GMT Pakistani artist Imran Qureshi has been awarded one of the top prizes at the 2011 Sharjah Biennial. The graphic depiction of blood is intensified by the current uprisings in north Africa and the Middle East, even though the work was conceived before the unrest began. Imran Qureshi spoke to BBC News about what inspired him in his creation of Blessings Upon the Land of my Love.

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BBC Interview - Pakistani artist Imran Qureshi wins Sharjah prize

21 April 2011 Last updated at 15:47 GMT Pakistani artist Imran Qureshi has been awarded one of the top prizes at the 2011 Sharjah Biennial. The graphic depiction of blood is intensified by the current uprisings in north Africa and the Middle East, even though the work was conceived before the unrest began. Imran Qureshi spoke to BBC News about what inspired him in his creation of Blessings Upon the Land of my Love.

BBC - The power of Pakistani art -Rashid Rana at Lisson Gallery

BBC Radio interview - Zubeida Malik spoke to the artist about his unusual works. Ignore the music !!

Huffington Post - Sharjah Biennial 10

By: James Scarborough Now, especially, the point seems so obvious that it's hardly worth stating. Still, in an era of political doublespeak and misread texts secular and divine, the Sharjah Biennial 10: Plot for a Biennial, curated by Suzanne Cotter, Rasha Salti, and Haig Aivazian, confirms that biennials and the sites that stage them must be historically engaged and spatially meaningful. Read more

Lisson Gallery talks to Rashid Rana

Rashid Rana talks to Patricia Pratas about his exhibition at the Gallery 30

The Asia Society Collectors Series: Amna & Ali Naqvi Art Collection

Amna and Ali Naqvi's art collection began 17 years ago with the purchase of a painting, the first thing the couple ever bought together and now comprises of over 700 works. The collection began with Pakistani contemporary and modern art, and then evolved into an Asian collection with art from China, India, Indonesia, and Japan as they moved and traveled through Asia. Starting with 3rd century Gandhara Buddhist sculptures, Amna Naqvi will take us through her Pakistani art collection as well as contemporary pieces by artists like Shahzia Sikandar, Aisha Khalid, Takashi Murakami, Imran Qureshi and Rashid Rana. While highlighting the artists’ contribution and significance to Pakistani contemporary art, Amna will also discuss their personal motivation to add the piece to their collection. In Amna's own words, "... what excites us most about collecting contemporary work, is that they speak in the voice of our time and our generation, and continually stretch and break boundaries." Amna Naqvi worked in the corporate world for many years before trading in her career to raise a family. A few years ago, she started a gallery to introduce Pakistani contemporary art into the international art scene. Several pieces from the collection have been loaned to museums around the world.