Exhibitions

PakistaniArt covers exhibitions and shows wherever Pakistani art travels, from gallery openings in Karachi and Lahore to international biennales, museum retrospectives, and group shows across the globe. We report on what is on view, who is showing, and why it matters.

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An installation photograph from White Cube Paris showcases a rectangular, horizontally oriented figurative painting by Pakistani artist Suleman Aqeel Khilji. The artwork is mounted centrally on a large, pristine white gallery wall. Executed with a muted, warm palette dominated by earth-toned reds, terracottas, and hazy greys, the dreamlike composition depicts a woman with voluminous dark curly hair sitting behind what appears to be a counter or reflective surface. She wears a white, low-cut blouse or dress with dark trim along the neckline. The background features hazy vertical bands resembling curtains or architectural pillars, rendered in semi-translucent layers of pigment that evoke a sense of a faded memory or an excavated artifact. To the right of the canvas, a person wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and dark trousers stands on a polished concrete gallery floor, captured in motion blur as they look toward the left.

Suleman Aqeel Khilji Opens First White Cube Solo in Paris

A Pakistani painter whose figurative canvases excavate memory through layered pigment and Urdu script arrives at one of the art world's most prominent commercial platforms

Kamil DaadJUN 11, 2026
A photograph of the modern Messe Basel exhibition hall building under a clear blue sky, featuring a textured, lattice-like metallic facade on the left and a smooth grey exterior wall on the right prominently displaying the "Art Basel" logo with a blue vertical line separating the words.

Art Basel 2026 Opens With Strongest VIP Day in Years, Signaling a More Grounded Market Recovery

New initiatives, a fresh curatorial hand in the fair's monumental sector, and blue-chip sales confirm the Swiss fair's role as the clearest barometer of collector confidence

Kamil DaadJUN 17, 2026

Latest in Exhibitions

ExhibitionsOCT 22, 2026

Art Basel Paris Cancels Weekend as Riots Threat Looms

Kamil Daad
A high-angle, wide-shot photograph captures the vast main exhibition floor of the Art Basel Paris art fair organized inside the sprawling nave of the historic Grand Palais in Paris, France. The massive space is covered by an ornate, vaulted glass and green-painted iron dome roof structure that floods the interior with natural light. Dozens of temporary, white-walled exhibition booths are arranged in a dense, geometric grid across the ground floor, creating corridors filled with visitors browsing contemporary artwork and sculptures. A long, straight central aisle cuts through the middle of the floor layout, packed with people walking between the various gallery displays. Surrounding the main floor, elevated perimeter balconies with green iron railings wrap around the structure, also populated with visitors overlooking the event. Large informational banners hang vertically from the upper railings on either side, while modern artwork, including vibrant abstract paintings and multi-colored wall hangings, is visible inside several open-fronted booths below.
ExhibitionsOCT 15, 2026

Fifteen NCA Artists Reunite in Lahore for 'Then, Now & Everything Between'

Kamil Daad
The image displays a promotional poster for an art exhibition organized by Alliance Française de Lahore - Pakistan. Set against a clean white background on the left and a textured grey background in the center, the prominent text reads "THEN, NOW & EVERYTHING BETWEEN" in a bold, black and white sans-serif font, followed by the subtitle "25 Years of Artistic Practice, Memory & Transformation." A vertical list of participating artists is displayed in the center, including Fatima Salman, Ayaz Jokhio, Mahbub Shah, Fatima Saeed, Imran Ahmad, Maria Imaad, Asad Hayee, Maryam Rahman, Nadia Khawaja, Hasnat Mehmood, Shahana Munawar, Sabina Zaffar, Hassan Rana, Zainub J Khawaja, and Sadaf Naeem. The right side of the poster features a close-up visual of a smooth, vibrant yellow-orange sculpture resembling a stylized heart or organic form, adorned with intricate, colorful floral patterns at its base. The bottom of the poster outlines event logistics, noting the opening on October 14th at 4:00 PM and the exhibition continuing from October 14–20, 2026, between 1:00 PM and 6:00 PM. The curatorial credits attribute the exhibition to Shah Zaman Baloch, Fatima Salman, and Anne Sophie Français. The venue is specified as La Galerie at Alliance Française de Lahore, located at 155, Street No. 3, Scotch Corner, Upper Mall Scheme, Lahore, Pakistan, with sponsor logos for Treet Corp and Avari Lahore Hotel visible in the bottom right corner.
ExhibitionsOCT 13, 2026

Johnny Depp Joins Halcyon Gallery's Roster With First Major UK Art Show

Kamil Daad
A tall, narrow building facade in an urban streetscape is completely covered by a vibrant, full-height art installation banner by Johnny Depp for his "Halcyon" exhibition. The colorful banner features a light blue background densely patterned with bright orange rose motifs, framing a central, stylized brown silhouette of a humanoid figure with long rabbit-like ears. Below the artwork, the text "JOHNNY DEPP" is printed in large, black, block lettering, directly above the word "HALCYON." A dark rectangular entryway is cut out at the base of the banner, leading into the gallery space. The decorated building is tightly flanked on both sides by traditional, multi-story European city architecture, including a white building with black iron balconies to its left and a classic stone building with rows of windows and white flags to its right, creating a stark contrast between classic street design and contemporary pop-art promotion.
ExhibitionsOCT 10, 2026

Pakistani Artists Join Frieze Abu Dhabi's First Edition

Kamil Daad
A composite photo captures two prominent contemporary Pakistani artists, Hamra Abbas and Imran Qureshi, side-by-side against different artistic backdrops. On the left, Hamra Abbas stands confidently against a clean white gallery wall, looking slightly towards the camera with a subtle, composed expression. She has long, dark hair parted down the middle and wears a high-collared black top paired with a striking jacket featuring patterned sleeves in red, black, and yellow geometric designs. A small portion of a vibrant blue artwork is visible on the wall behind her upper left shoulder. On the right, Imran Qureshi stands with his arms crossed over his chest, offering a calm and pleasant smile. He has short, salt-and-pepper hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He wears a simple, classic blue polo shirt and is framed against a warm, solid ochre-yellow wall that indicates a gallery or museum setting.
ExhibitionsOCT 10, 2026

Karachi Biennale Cancels Its 2027 Edition Amid War

A large, grand building with towering stone pillars and wide concrete steps is bathed in a dramatic purple hue, serving as a backdrop for the Karachi Biennale. The architecture features tall rectangular windows and an expansive portico, with banners displaying "BIENNALE" hanging vertically down the columns. In front of the structure, a few individuals are scattered near the steps and base, appearing small against the monumental scale of the facade. Layered boldly over the center of the image is a large, stylized graphic text overlay reading "KB 27" and "KARACHI BIENNALE", accompanied by event dates indicating October 22 to November 5, '17, from 10 AM to 6 PM.
ExhibitionsOCT 8, 2026

Artists Say Tang Contemporary Still Owes Them Money

Kamil Daad
Tang Contemporary Art Gallery exhibition space featuring contemporary paintings on display under bright gallery lighting. An expansive, minimalist art gallery interior features light wood floors and clean white walls illuminated by modern recessed ceiling lights and track lighting systems. The wide-angle perspective showcases a spacious exhibition hall where vibrant contemporary paintings are spaced out across the walls, leading the viewer's eye toward a central wooden bench and an adjacent hallway that extends deeper into the gallery.
PaintingOCT 2, 2026

Salman Toor: Someone Like You at the Courtauld

Elia Raza
A wide gallery shot captured inside The Courtauld Gallery shows two gallery visitors—a woman with long, dark curly hair wearing an orange jacket on the left and a man in a black long-sleeved shirt on the right—standing with their backs to the camera as they closely study a massive figurative painting. The artwork, titled Ghost Ball (2023) by celebrated artist Salman Toor, dominates the frame with its signature, surreal palette of deep emerald and absinthe greens. Across the vast canvas, a series of loose, fluid, and elongated figures are depicted in various expressive, theatrical poses that suggest a dreamlike nocturnal gathering or party. The figures—some wearing whimsical caps or costumed elements, others lounging or dancing—inhabit a stylized, safe nocturnal environment that evokes themes of community, intimacy, and queer South Asian experiences. The bright gallery lighting illuminates the clean white wall surrounding the massive canvas, casting a subtle warmth on the shoulders of the spectators engrossed in the scene.
ExhibitionsSEP 8, 2026

61 Artists Descend for Sienna Creative House's Debut Group Exhibition

Awais Shaukat
Vibrant abstract artwork featured on an exhibition flyer. Sienna Creative House hosted its debut art exhibition, showcasing an unfiltered and unbiased collection of contemporary Pakistani artwork. The event, held at House 79A in Islamabad, Pakistan, gathered diverse creators from across the country to give local artists a dedicated, shared platform in the nation's capital. Featuring a mix of modern styles and vision, the exhibition opened its doors from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm on September 12, 2026, offering accessible entry to art enthusiasts looking to experience the fresh strengths of the regional creative community.
ExhibitionsSEP 5, 2026

Beyoncé Donates $2 Million to the Studio Museum in Harlem on Her 45th Birthday

Kamil Daad
Beyoncé commands the stage during her Renaissance World Tour performance, radiating elegance in a custom black-and-white geometric gown. The striking ensemble features a deep sweetheart neckline and an intricate pattern of swirling optical lines that accentuate her silhouette. Complementing the bold dress are pristine white opera-length gloves and dazzling, tiered crystal drop earrings that shimmer under the stadium lights. With her voluminous blonde hair styled in effortless, cascading waves, she holds a silver microphone against a glittering, blue-toned backdrop of reflective sequins and stage rigging, epitomizing high-fashion concert glamour.
ExhibitionsSEP 4, 2026

Five Painters Rethink the Landscape in 'Second Nature' at Lahore's ZQ Gallery

Awais Shaukat
An art gallery invitation card for an exhibition titled "Second Nature" is superimposed over a textured painting of an expansive desert landscape. The background artwork is rendered in horizontal bands of warm earthy tones, transitioning from deep ochres and browns at the bottom to lighter sandy yellows and muted blues in the upper sky region. The landscape features faint, sketchy outlines of sparse desert vegetation and bare trees on the right side. Cutting vertically down the middle and left portions of the composition are sharp, stylized geometric structures that resemble thin rectangular pillars or overlapping transparent glass panels, adding a modern, abstract contrast to the natural terrain. A small, dark blue silhouette of a bird is perched delicately on a thin horizontal line near the upper center.The text elements are aligned down the center of the card in a clean, white sans-serif font. At the very top, the gallery logo reads "ZQ Gallery" with a stylized leaf or flame motif inside the letter "O". Directly below the bird silhouette, the main exhibition title "SECOND NATURE" is written in large capital letters. Below the title, a smaller line states "Curated by Aasim Akhtar". In the middle section, five featured artists are listed vertically: "Zahra Jewanjee", "Yawar Abbas", "Aqsa Shahir", "Naqsh Raj", and "Abu Hanzla". The lower section details the event information, starting with "Opening Reception" followed by the date "Saturday, September 5, 2026" and the time "5–8 pm". At the absolute bottom of the card, the venue address and contact information are printed in a small, compact line: "ZQ Gallery | 19-A, Jail Road, Lahore | +92 326 495 8860".
ExhibitionsAUG 27, 2026

Yayoi Kusama, Icon of Polka Dots and Infinity Rooms, Dies at 97

Kamil Daad
The image shows the famous contemporary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama working diligently at a desk, deeply focused on drawing intricate patterns with a black marker on a large canvas. She is instantly recognizable by her vibrant, bright red bob haircut with straight-across bangs, gold-rimmed reading glasses, and dark eyeshadow. She wears a striking hot pink blouse covered in large black polka dots, featuring a black collar and long sleeves with gathered, elasticated cuffs. Her hand holds the marker firmly as she guides it across a surface densely covered in her signature fine lines and repetitive dot motifs. The background behind her is a visually complex, high-contrast environment filled with her artwork, displaying large black and white geometric shapes, alternating fields of dense polka dots, and vertical patterns that create an immersive, hallucinatory atmosphere characteristic of her iconic style.A high-contrast photograph of artist Yayoi Kusama in her signature bright red bob and polka-dot blouse creating detailed artwork.
ExhibitionsAUG 15, 2026

NCA & PUCAD Stage Their First Joint Exhibition

Kamil Daad
A vibrant indoor art exhibition features a diverse group of attendees gathered in a brightly lit, white-walled gallery space with high ceilings and traditional architectural balconies in the background. On the far left, a large, colorful, abstract painting filled with dense blue, orange, and green hues serves as a focal point. Several people, including a woman in a purple outfit and an older gentleman in a white shalwar kameez wearing a green scarf, stand in front of the artwork, actively engaged in a conversation while viewing the display. Other individuals, wearing formal attire or blazers, observe the gallery pieces under an overhead string of spotlights.
ExhibitionsJUL 16, 2026

Faiza Butt Brings "Punj•AB" to the Venice Biennale as Pakistan Returns to the World Stage

Kamil Daad
British-Pakistani artist Faiza Butt is captured here at the Pakistan Pavilion during the 2026 Venice Biennale. Her landmark solo exhibition, titled "Punj•AB: A Sublime Terrain," represents only the second time Pakistan has made an official appearance at the prestigious international art festival.
ExhibitionsJUN 27, 2026

Sir Nicholas Lucius 'Feast Your Eyes' Opens Tonight at Atlanta's Gallery Anderson Smith

Kamil Daad
Sir Nicholas Lucius is a Tampa-based contemporary mixed-media painter, avant-garde visionary, and creative entrepreneur. His artistic approach is rooted heavily in emotional maximalism, haute couture fantasy, and deliberate theatrical excess.Art Style and Creative PhilosophyLucius creates heavily textured, monumental artworks using an intricate layering process. His distinct style explores the human subconscious and serves as a fierce refusal against standard social expectations to play small or stay quiet. His pieces are recognizable by several signature elements:Tactile Excess: He intentionally tears images apart and violently pushes thick pigments around his canvases.Luxury Textures: Pieces frequently incorporate high-end physical embellishments including Swarovski crystals, diamond dust, and rhinestones.Vibrant Glamour: His portfolio features intense, unapologetic use of vivid colors and deep emotional narratives.Rise to Cultural ProminenceLucius's rapid rise in contemporary creative culture was significantly amplified by a viral pop-culture interaction. During an arena performance, global pop icon Lady Gaga noticed one of his unique art pieces, walked out to the edge of the stage, and autographed it live. The widely circulated footage online solidified his name among massive fanbases and contemporary art collectors. He has also been recognized locally as a featured artist for events like the Dali Dozen at the Salvador Dalí Museum.
ExhibitionsJUN 21, 2026

Andres Serrano's "Piss Christ" Arrives in Atlantic Canada for Its First Exhibition in the Region

Kamil Daad
"Piss Christ" (officially titled Immersion (Piss Christ)) is a controversial 1987 photograph by American artist and photographer Andres Serrano. The artwork depicts a small, mass-produced plastic crucifix submerged in a transparent glass tank filled with the artist's own urine. Captured as a 60 by 40-inch Cibachrome print, the image is characterized by its glowing amber-gold light and deep, ethereal red-yellow hues, creating a stark contrast between its visually beautiful presentation and its profane medium.
FeaturesJUN 20, 2026

Where the Work Comes From the Ground Up

Kamil Daad
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ArtJUN 19, 2026

"The Condition" Meets the Street Between Two Worlds at Art Basel 2026

Awais Shaukat
The image features a large-scale sculptural installation by artist Nairy Baghramian titled Modèle vivant (S’empilant) (2026), which is currently situated in the Messeplatz fountain in front of the Messe Basel exhibition hall in Switzerland.
SculptureJUN 17, 2026

Nairy Baghramian Transforms Art Basel's Messeplatz With a Major New Commission

Kamil Daad
Baghramian’s work created for Art Basel is part of a series in which she explores “bodies that are fragmented, supported, interrupted or dependent on external structures.” Photo by Christian Werner
ArtJUN 17, 2026

Art Basel 2026 Opens With Strongest VIP Day in Years, Signaling a More Grounded Market Recovery

Kamil Daad
A photograph of the modern Messe Basel exhibition hall building under a clear blue sky, featuring a textured, lattice-like metallic facade on the left and a smooth grey exterior wall on the right prominently displaying the "Art Basel" logo with a blue vertical line separating the words.
NewsJUN 15, 2026

Dealers Arrive at Art Basel 2026 With Hard-Won Optimism After Years of Market Turbulence

Kamil Daad
A wide outdoor view of Messeplatz during the Art Basel fair, captured from beneath the shelter of a large, metallic architectural overhang. In the center, a large white exhibition hall prominently features the words "Art Basel" alongside an abstract installation consisting of giant, vibrant pink paintbrush strokes that trail down the facade and spread across the open plaza floor. People wander through the open square, while a modern green glass skyscraper rises into the cloudy sky on the right side of the frame.
ExhibitionsJUN 11, 2026

Suleman Aqeel Khilji Opens First White Cube Solo in Paris

Kamil Daad
An installation photograph from White Cube Paris showcases a rectangular, horizontally oriented figurative painting by Pakistani artist Suleman Aqeel Khilji. The artwork is mounted centrally on a large, pristine white gallery wall. Executed with a muted, warm palette dominated by earth-toned reds, terracottas, and hazy greys, the dreamlike composition depicts a woman with voluminous dark curly hair sitting behind what appears to be a counter or reflective surface. She wears a white, low-cut blouse or dress with dark trim along the neckline. The background features hazy vertical bands resembling curtains or architectural pillars, rendered in semi-translucent layers of pigment that evoke a sense of a faded memory or an excavated artifact. To the right of the canvas, a person wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and dark trousers stands on a polished concrete gallery floor, captured in motion blur as they look toward the left.
ExhibitionsJUN 11, 2026

Lee Krasner's First Solo Show in France at Gagosian Paris

Kamil Daad
Lee Krasner abstract expressionist painting with sweeping gestural brushstrokes in magenta, green and cream on a tan ground, featured in her first solo exhibition in France at Gagosian Paris.

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