The Garden Solo show of Imran Qureshi at The Barracks, Lahore, Pakistan
Merging painting, video, miniature painting, sculpture and installation, Imran Qureshi unveils 'The Garden', a new solo exhibition, at Nasir Bagh, Lahore in collaboration with Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA).
The PHA has made the momentous decision to revamp the Nasir Bagh Park, situated in the city’s historic educational centre, into a state-of-the-art public gallery committed to the promotion of all kinds of art.
Nasir Bagh holds a unique place in Lahore’s history. Named after the second president of Egypt, Jamal Abdul Nasir, the park was designed for the construction of underground bunkers in 1948. The presence of the barracks next to the garden pond is also embedded within a colonial past. The accumulation of this layered history in the garden serves to contextualise the works featured in the inaugural exhibition of The Barracks gallery. ‘The Garden’, created by internationally renowned artist Imran Qureshi and organised by Imran Ahmad, transforms the underground bunker into an immersive space that explores the relationship between ecology, beauty and violence.
‘It gives me great happiness to see the addition of a new space added to the city of Lahore, in fact more happiness than the fact that this is my solo show,’ says Imran Qureshi. ‘The exciting vision of the PHA is commendable and must be appreciated. Exhibiting in Pakistan is always an exciting and momentous occasion and I have tried, through ‘The Garden’, to show the existence of this place in a different way; to transform its presence and enhance the knowledge of this place so people experience it in a new way. The aim is to change the way people think about the park. It is a historic moment for not just Lahoris but all Pakistanis, to have this unique and superb contemporary art space in the country – it marks the beginning of a new era in Pakistan’s art scene, thanks to the initiative of the PHA and Punjab Government.’
In the words of Mr. Tahir Wattoo, Director General of the Punjab Horticulture Authority, Imran Qureshi’s ‘The Garden’ at The Barracks is art in the city’s heart.
‘The Garden’ will open on 4th February and continue until Summer 2024.
