PNCA opens youth art exhibit

'Shared Distances' showcases over 90 works by more than 40 fine arts graduates

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) has inaugurated "Shared Distances", the third edition of its annual exhibition celebrating the creativity and vision of young fine arts graduates from the twin cities. Curated by Noor Fatima, the show presents more than 90 works by over 40 emerging artists from institutions including the National College of Arts (Rawalpindi), Fatima Jinnah Women University, COMSATS University, and Rawalpindi Women University.

Federal Minister for Culture and Heritage, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, formally opened the exhibition alongside diplomats, senior artists, academics, and cultural figures. He congratulated curator Noor Fatima, PNCA Director General Muhammad Ayoub Jamali, and the participating artists for showcasing the strength of Pakistan's new creative voices. Following the inauguration, the minister and the DG PNCA planted a tree at PNCA, underscoring the importance of environmental conservation and climate action.

Speaking at the opening, the minister said: "This exhibition is a testament to the immense talent of Pakistan's youth. It reflects their ability to draw from our cultural heritage while addressing contemporary realities with originality and depth. PNCA's commitment to nurturing young artists ensures that our cultural future remains dynamic and inclusive."

Running until September 10, 2025, at PNCA's Islamabad galleries, Shared Distances reflects on memory, longing, resilience, and transformation. Featuring painting, printmaking, sculpture, miniature, and installation, the works explore how distance is experienced and reimagined—from intimate personal histories to broader cultural narratives.

Curator Noor Fatima writes: "In a time when connections are fleeting, places shift before they can settle in memory, and the familiar often feels just out of reach, Shared Distances offers a space for stillness and reflection. These works reveal the delicate negotiations between presence and absence, intimacy and detachment, and invite viewers to find echoes of their own experiences within them."

This edition underscores the vitality of contemporary artistic practice in Pakistan, positioning young graduates not only as heirs to tradition but also as active voices shaping the nation's cultural future.

Participating artists include: Abrish Zahra, Aliza, Amna Ayyaz, Amna Wajahat, Areeba Naeem, Arooj Fazil, Asma Ali, Aweesa Tariq, Ayesha Afzal, Ayesha Bibi, Ayesha Tanveer, Bakhtawar Nadeem, Eman Ijaz Choudhary, Faseeh bin Amir, Fatima Khan, Fatima Maqbool, Fatimah Mirza, Hazafa Asim, Javeria Khalid, Khizra Tanveer, Laiba Abdullah, Lubna Khattak, Mahnoor Shahid and Makayil Rana.