IMRAN QURESHI (B. 1972)

Imran Qureshi trained as a traditional miniature painter in Lahore and is a leading figure in having pushed the boundaries of this art form into contemporary contexts and influencing a wave of practitioners in this field. Qureshi combines his contemporary subjects with the merging of social commentary and Mughal traditions into an enthralling whole and his work has gained critical acclaim internationally.

Early in his career, Qureshi moved away from the traditional subjects of the miniature. A lone figure in profile, portraying the artist's younger brother is serenely set against a rural background. His attire is foppish and modern and his compelling pose exudes self-confidence, with highly detailed flowers springing from the empty ground behind him, punctuating the canvas with bursts of colour.

Like many of his works, Qureshi installs this piece with multiple meanings. The man before us stands alone against an empty background gazing off at something we cannot see, possibly a representation of modern day Pakistan with a sense of displacement and the notions of retaining identities amidst the turmoil of a fractured Nation.