Category: In Focus
History of the History of Art
The standard book of art history used in many art institutions across Pakistan is Art Through the Ages. Normally, students treat this book like a scar [...]
First Europe, Then Elsewhere?
[I]nsofar as the academic discourse of history—that is, “history” as a discourse produced at the institutional site of the university—is concerned, “E [...]
Inspiration: A Means to an End?
In the contemporary context, inspiration or the phenomenon of being inspired has become linked with stories of artistic, literary or scientific breakt [...]
Inspiration
The following essay takes form in small short linked vignettes that trace this rather muddled concept of inspiration – from the idea of identity, to P [...]
The Collector Calling
Collecting is perhaps an inherently normative process. Often cited within the discourse on taste, the act of collecting is a physical embodiment of sy [...]
The Lens of An Assured Eye
“Money creates taste.” – Jenny Holzer“What you really collect is always yourself.” – Jean BaudrillardThe urge to acquire and own art is a [...]
No Exit from Pakistan
In May 2013, The Roof Garden Commission: Imran Qureshi, opened on The Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New Y [...]
It Would Rain Anyway: A Case for the Mythic
In plain usage, ‘myth’ used to refer to a mistaken belief held as fact, especially the kind of belief that purports to explain something present, or e [...]
The Nation and the Modern Myth
When one reflects on the concept of the modern mythology in itself, one must turn to the seminal text of Roland Barthes dealing with this issue. Barth [...]
Disparate Strokes
Artistry, in many ways, is akin to wizardry. It is exclusive to those naturally blessed with talent and seemingly requires laborious apprenticeships b [...]