Qatar Museums in Doha has just unveiled MANZAR: Art and Architecture from Pakistan 1940s to Today, an exhibition delving into the art and architecture of Pakistan from the 1940s up until today. More than 200 pieces will be featured, including paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures, installations, and tapestries, besides specially commissioned works by artists and architects from Pakistan and its diaspora.
The exhibition was inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and His Excellency Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan. This exhibition is organized by the future Art Mill Museum, in collaboration with the National Museum of Qatar, under which MANZAR includes the various contributions of artists, architects, and thinkers from Pakistan through 12 themed galleries.
MANZAR, Urdu and Arabic for “scene” or “perspective,” represents the artistic growth of Pakistan, from Abdur Rahman Chughtai and Zainul Abedin’s early works through the Partition era and onward to Shakir Ali, Zubeida Agha, and Sadequain. The show also throws into relief architects who changed the face of Pakistani cities: Michel Ecochard, Louis Kahn, and Nayyar Ali Dada and Yasmeen Lari of Pakistan.
Compiled by Caroline Hancock, Aurélien Lemonier, and Zarmeene Shah, MANZAR comprises loans from Pakistani institutions and private collections from Dubai, London, and New York. Works are multidisciplinary works from artists like Zahoor ul Akhlaq and Rasheed Araeen who challenged the western traditions, and the modern day voices of Rashid Rana and Imran Qureshi.
It’s part of Qatar Creates national programmatic celebration for creative industries as dedicated to its Fall/Winter 2024-25 season. A free programme of talks, screenings and performances runs alongside the book: 312-page accompanying catalogue is a token offered to Qatar’s communities that have hosted Pakistan’s vibrant and varied cultural richness, with a chance to recount their own experiences and sharing encounters.