Ali Kazim

Ali Kazim was born in Pattoki, Punjab, in Pakistan. He trained as an artist in Lahore graduating with the degree Bachelor of Fine Arts from the National College of Arts, Lahore, (2002) and Master of Fine Arts from the Slade School of Fine Art, London (2011). He holds the Permanent faculty member position at National College of Arts, Lahore.

Kazim’s paintings often depict the human body as a primary subject matter. He combines the fascination with the body with his interest in the traditional painting styles of Mughal and Rajput miniature, the Bengal School and experiments in watercolour wash technique. The results are intensely palpable figures that appear to be preserved in moments of thought or observation embodying a deep sense of time. The portrait Untitled (2021) that we see for Tonight No Poetry Will Serve is exemplary of the quiet and stoic figures very much like Kazim’s drawings of the ruined landscapes- after the Harrapan sites near his hometown symbolic of time past that simultaneously seem to foretell time to come.

Kazim’s awards include short listed for the BMW Art Journey Prize at Art Basel Hong Kong (2018). Jury Prize at the inaugural edition of Karachi Biennale (2017), The Land Securities Studio Award, London and the Melville Nettleship Prize for Figure Composition, UCL, London (2011). He has also been the recipient of numerous prestigious artist residencies that include Artist-in-residence at Ashmolean Museum, Oxford (2019), The Art House residency, Wakefield (2014), and the ROSL Travel Scholarship, Residency at Hospital Field, Scotland (2005).

Ali Kazim’s select solo exhibitions include Of Darkness and Light, Rohtas II, Lahore (2016), Sacred Souls, Secret Lives, Rider, Green Cardamom, London (2009), and Ethan Cohen Fine Arts Gallery, New York (2006). Select group exhibitions include Lahore Biennale 01 & 02 (2018 & 2020), Asia Pacific Triennial, Queensland Brisbane, Australia (2018), Karachi Biennale 01 & 02 (2017 & 2019), Human Image: master pieces of figurative art from the British Museum, Seoul Arts Center, Seoul (2016), Dust, Centre for Contemporary Art, Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw (2015), Ethereal, Leilah Heller Gallery, New York (2014), Heritage Reinvented, Tryon St Gallery, London (2013), Oog in oog, Speelhuilaan 171, Breda (2009), 13th Asian Art Biennale, Dhaka (2008), Curious Ties, The Lab Gallery, New York (2006), 9th National Exhibition of Visual Arts Lahore, Lahore (2005), and George Keyt Foundation Artist Residency Exhibition, Lionel Wendt Art Gallery, Colombo (2003).

Kazim’s works are held in public and private collections including the Metropolitan Museum, New York; Asia Pacific Museum, Pasadena; British Museum, London; Victoria and Albert Museum, London; the Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane; Burger Collection, Hong Kong; Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, New Delhi; Samdani Foundation, Dhaka; Creative Cities Collection, Beijing; Devi Art Foundation, Delhi; Kamel Lazaar Foundation, Tunis; and the Islamabad Airport, Pakistan.

Ali Kazim is currently working on his forthcoming exhibition at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford in 2022. He lives and works in Lahore, Pakistan.

I had my first solo exhibition in Colombo, the love and support I received I cannot forget. I think I owe much to the country and its people.