This month ArtNow Pakistan brings to you an issue dedicated to a remarkable project that celebrates memory, history, and the evolving identity of Karachi.
You will be pleased to see Karachi’s Cartography, an ambitious exhibition by Dr. Furqan Ahmed, whose lifelong commitment to collecting, preserving, and researching the city’s cultural history has resulted in artistic work that is both deeply personal and profoundly significant.
A doctor by profession, Dr. Furqan has spent decades gathering rare maps, photographs, letters, documents, artworks, authored books, and historical material that collectively narrate Karachi’s memories history and stories.
This June, audiences have the opportunity to witness parts of this extraordinary collection through exhibitions presented simultaneously at Canvas Gallery and Koel Gallery. We congratulate both galleries for providing a platform that not only showcases a remarkable private archive but also highlights the importance of preservation in a city where histories are often forgotten.
Congratulations to Dr Furqan for publishing his fifth Book, further contributing to the documentation of Karachi’s cultural and social landscape. Through his research and collecting practice, he has become one of the city’s most important custodians of memory. His work reminds us that archives are not simply reminders of the past; they are living tools that help us understand who we are and where we are headed.
This issue also presents an exclusive and in-depth interview with Dr. Furqan and an extensive conversation that explores the reasons behind his collecting journey, the significance of archiving and the the stories behind his collection.
The interview offers readers an intimate glimpse into the mind of a collector whose dedication spans generations and whose efforts continue to benefit scholars, artists, historians, and the wider public.
Complementing the interview is an insightful essay by Haroon Shuaib, who examines the broader cultural implications of Dr. Furqan’s work and reflects on the value of private collections in shaping public understanding of history. His essay raises important questions about preservation, ownership, and the role individuals can play in safeguarding collective memory.
Our Editor Quddus Mirza contributes a thoughtful editorial reflection on Dr. Furqan’s remarkable journey as a collector.
Elsewhere in this issue, we have most recent reviews from Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.
Beyond Karachi, the past few months have offered encouraging signs for Pakistani artists on the international stage. Artists such as Adeela Suleman, Ayesha Khalid, Faiza Butt, Naiza Khan and Shazia Sikander continue to strengthen Pakistan’s presence within global conversations around contemporary art, while numerous practitioners from the country are participating in exhibitions, residencies, biennales, and institutional projects across Europe, the Middle East, North America, and Asia. Their achievements reflect the growing recognition of Pakistani contemporary art and demonstrate the richness and diversity of artistic practices emerging from the region.
Internationally, the art world continues to engage with questions of identity, migration, ecology, archives, and cultural memory—themes that resonate strongly with the focus of this issue. Major exhibitions, biennales, museum initiatives, and publishing projects across the globe are increasingly turning toward histories that have remained overlooked or underrepresented.
In many ways, Dr. Furqan Ahmed’s work belongs within this broader international conversation.
His archive is not simply about Karachi; it is about understanding how cities remember, how communities preserve knowledge, and how cultural heritage survives through individual commitment.
As editors, writers, researchers, and readers, we often speak about the importance of documentation. Yet documentation requires people willing to dedicate years, sometimes entire lifetimes, to preserving what others may overlook. Such contribution stands as a reminder of what such dedication can achieve.
We hope this issue encourages our readers to engage not only with the exhibitions themselves but also with the broader questions they raise about memory, heritage, archives, and the future of our cities. As always, we thank our contributors, readers, artists, and supporters who continue to make these conversations possible.
Stay tuned to ArtNow Pakistan for exclusive coverages from the world.
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