‘The Brit Pak’, the Best of Pakistani Contemporary Art at Mica Gallery

The exhibition reflects the very best of emerging contemporary British Pakistani art and culture, an area that has largely evolved in response to, and as a result of, the key political and cultural moments in recent history. The last few decades, the search for one of the most wanted figures in recent history being found in Pakistan, has raised a whole host of issues challenging the Pakistani identity.

The Brit Pak versus Native Pak adds yet another layer of complexity to the creative and cultural output both in Pakistan and Britain, at once in harmony and yet polarised by finer cultural nuances, with an ongoing frisson between culture, business and wider society. This exhibition attempts to capture and showcase the positive contributions that have emerged from the Pakistani diaspora, art & culture, politics and economics and juxtapose these with the polarization of a community caused by a media onslaught aligning ‘the Pakistani’ with negative stereotypes resulting in the simmering of the bold, confident and new art movement ‘The Brit Pak’.

The show is an observation and dialogue between Eastern and Western perceptions of emerging British Pakistani art. Artists include: Faiza Shaikh, Khaver Idrees, Maaida Noor, Mansoora Hassan, M A Bukhari, Salman Farooqi, Asif Ghayaz Javed Qamar, Aisha Caan, Nurjan, Shafaq Ahmed, Sofia Niazi, Ayesha Amjad, Nasreen Raja, Rachel Wilberforce, Ammar Syed, Zahir Rafiq, and Ahad Mustafa.

Some of the amazing art exhibited at Mica Gallery:

AISHA CAAN, “99 Names of Allah”, Mixed media on paper, 90x90 cm, 2011 / Courtesy of Mica Gallery.

AYESHA AMJAD, “Journey”, Collage on digital print, 20.5x15 cm, 2011 / Courtesy of Mica Gallery.

FAIZA SHAIKH, “Mumbai - Salsabil”, Oil on Linen, 24 karat gold, 100x100 cm, 2011 / Courtesy of Mica Gallery.

KHAVER IDREES, “Dream Machine”, Mixed media, 21x12x10 cm, 2011 / Courtesy of Mica Gallery.

KHAVER IDREES, “Kala Kanoon”, Mixed media, 70x100 cm, 2011 / Courtesy of Mica Gallery.

MAAIDA NOOR, “Truck Art”, Watercolour, carved metal paper, 76x56 cm, 2011 / Courtesy of Mica Gallery.

MANSOORA HASSAN, “Bound Project – Gestures”, Digital print on banner, 120x225 cm, 2011 / Courtesy of Mica Gallery.

NURJAN, “Alif Laam Meem”, Swarovski crystals, plexiglass and granite, 100x70x30 cm, 2011 / Courtesy of Mica Gallery.

RACHEL WILBERFORCE, “Rimla”, Digital C-Print, diasec, aluminium, 31.2x45, 2011 / Courtesy of Mica Gallery.

SHAFAQ AHMAD, “Al Baqi”, Oil on linen, 122 x 122 cm, 2011 / Courtesy of Mica Gallery.

SHAFAQ AHMAD, “Bismillah”, Acrylic on Plexiglass, 30x30x8 cm, 2011 / Courtesy of Mica Gallery.

ZAHIR RAFIQ, “Mohamed”, Acrylic, gold leaf and clay on MDF board, 60x42 cm, 2011 / Courtesy of Mica Gallery.

KHAVER IDREES, Bohemian Rhapsody / Courtesy of Mica Gallery