ilham “In Transit”

Artist panel (by invitation only):
Wednesday, May 1, 6 p.m.

 

Moderated by Steve Coll, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of ‘Ghost Wars’ and ‘The Bin Ladens’. Steve is an expert on USPakistan relations and was recently appointed as the dean of the Journalism School at Columbia University.

 

About the Show:

Ilham is pleased to announce its inaugural exhibition featuring four young emerging contemporary artists from Pakistan, Ghulam Hussain, Romessa Khan, Sana Kazi and Mariam Hanif. Although Pakistan frequently makes the headlines for stories related to extremism and terrorism, the country’s rich civil discourse and vibrant culture often go unnoticed. This exhibition aims to question the international narrative of Pakistan using art as a medium to give voice to the country’s youth and dispel the myths about their country’s image among Western audiences. The show provides a timely window into modern Pakistani society where, given the country’s fractious relationship with the U.S., the youth is increasingly using art to stir discussion on social and political issues. The month of May, when the artists will be in New York, is a historic time for Pakistan, marking fresh elections after the first time that a democratic government in a country prone to military coups has completed its five-year term.

 

The title, In Transit,  refers to the individual’s reaction to a world that seems to be in constant flux, a struggle that those living in Pakistan share with the rest of the world. It reflects our journey through life, as we begin from the innocence of birth, moving forward to discover the complexity of relationships, need for absolute truths and the desire to integrate life and death. In Transit is a rational attempt to visualize the world we don’t see by tracing the path of human consciousness over time. 

 

The artists present an eclectic collection of viewpoints representing the transition of consciousness. 

 

About Ilham:

Ilham provides an innovative platform to young and other underrepresented artists to showcase their work both nationally and internationally. Focused on South Asian art, our mission is to support the experimentation of artists, development of alternative pedagogies and learning through collaboration and exchange. Ilham means to reveal or to inspire; to put thoughts or ideas into the minds of others. Ilham aims to reveal a new humanist sensibility within art, one that refuses to bow to preservation, regulation and mediation, but instead sets out to win support for the human-centered goals of discovery, experimentation and innovation.

 

Contact: Khuram Hussain

info@ilhamart.org

http://ilhamart.org/

Artist Bios: http://ilhamart.org/artists