The National Museum of Qatar is hosting Manzar, a landmark exhibition spotlighting the vibrant evolution of Pakistani art and architecture. Running until January 31, 2025, the exhibit features over 200 works, including paintings, sculptures, videos, and installations that traverse the journey of Pakistani creativity from the 1940s to the present.
The exhibition, meaning “scene” in Urdu, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and Sheikha Al Mayassa Al-Thani. Curated by the Art Mill Museum team, it presents a thematic exploration of the nation’s cultural narratives, offering a rare glimpse into private collections.
Caroline Hancock, senior curator of modern and contemporary art at the Art Mill Museum, remarked, “Pakistan’s art scene is less well known in the world compared to other art scenes, and for us art historians, it is absolutely fascinating to be able to share it with the world.”
The exhibit begins with colonial and post-colonial works by Abdur Rahman Chughtai and Zainul Abedin. Key themes include the 1947 partition, with contributions from artists such as Anna Molka Ahmed and Zarina, and urban artistic experiments from luminaries like Sadequain, Zubeida Agha, and Murtaja Baseer.
Architectural heritage takes center stage with works by pioneers like Raza Ali Dada and Nayyar Ali Dada, alongside contributions by international architects, including Konstantínos Doxiadis, who designed Islamabad, and Michel Ecochard, who planned Karachi’s first university.
Highlighting contemporary issues, the exhibition showcases Yasmeen Lari’s bamboo shelters for flood victims, emphasizing sustainability. Karachi-based collective LaJamia addresses environmental crises in Sindh, reflecting art’s role in ecological discourse.
Co-curator Zarmeene Shah emphasized, “Because we never see such a body of noteworthy work come together in a single space, as most of these artworks live in private collections, inaccessible to the public, which is why Manzar offers an incomparable opportunity for audiences to engage with these masterpieces.”
The exhibition extends to Sheikh Abdullah Al-Thani’s courtyard with immersive installations and video programs, merging art and architecture to document Pakistan’s socio-political evolution.