This issue celebrates the enduring impact of Qudsia Rahim’s vision and Lahore Biennale Foundation’s role in breathing life into Pakistan’s cultural ecosystem.
Welcome to the October / November Issue
I’m thrilled to share that this month’s edition is dedicated to the dynamic Qudsia Rahim and the Lahore Biennale Foundation (LBF)—an institution she has built with remarkable zeal, vision, and love for the arts.
Over the past eleven years, LBF has become one of Pakistan’s most significant cultural movements—redefining how public art is experienced and expanding the dialogue between artists, audiences, and the city itself. From its ambitious biennales that transform urban spaces into living canvases to its continued engagement with artists, curators, and thinkers, the Foundation has consistently pushed the boundaries of what contemporary art can mean in a South Asian context.
In this issue, Quddus Mirza reflects on the compelling journey of LBF in his editorial, tracing its evolution from an idea to a powerful platform of artistic exchange and how it evolved as a space that transcends geography, politics, and ideology. Drawing parallels between literature’s power to imagine nations and art’s ability to create its own territories.
Tracing the Biennale’s trajectory through its three editions—from Hoor Al Qasimi’s expansive “Between the Sun and the Moon” to John Tain’s ecologically conscious “Of Mountains and Seas”—he celebrates the vision of Qudsia Rahim and the Lahore Biennale Foundation for transforming the city into a meeting ground of cultures, histories, and futures. With characteristic eloquence, this amazing read reminds us that art, much like literature, resists resolution—persistently questioning, unsettling, and illuminating the world around us.
Our Deputy Editor, Malaika Rahimtoola, covered an exhibition, ‘A Poem for Deep Thinkers’ by Rashid Johnson, for the In Focus section. The exhibition almost covered the entire Guggenheim Foundation in New York. It is an exciting read as the artist explores anxiety, identity, and survival through materials and transforms them into a visual vocabulary to examine the ethics of care
An insightful interview with Qudsia Rahim, conducted by Aarish Sardar, offers readers an intimate glimpse into her philosophy, challenges, and unwavering commitment to the arts.
A critical essay by Saulat Ajmal examines the impacts of the three iterations of the Lahore Biennale and how its ideology has evolved over the years. It is worth a read!
Our contributors—Alizey Afzal, Haroon Shuaib, and Sumbul Natalia—have covered exhibitions and events from Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, providing a vivid snapshot of Pakistan’s ever-evolving art scene.
Stay tuned for more exciting editions of ArtNow Pakistan as we continue to bring you thoughtful writing, critical essays, and exciting interviews with world-renowned artists from the world of contemporary art.
Bye for NOW!