Painting award exhibit opens in Islamabad

The sixth edition of the National Biennial Arjumand Painting Award (APA) was recently held at the Alhamra Lahore Arts Council.

The exhibition was inaugurated by Zafar Masud, President and CEO of the Bank of Punjab.

The event was widely appreciated both nationally and internationally. Selected paintings from the Lahore exhibition have now been brought to Islamabad and are on display at Gallery 6, F-6 Markaz, from Saturday, November 1, to Tuesday, November 4.

Established in 2015 by the Arjumand family, which owns Gallery 6 Islamabad, the Award has evolved into a significant national platform for emerging and young artists.

Over the years, the enthusiasm and participation it has generated have been remarkable.

For this sixth edition, the response was overwhelming — 351 artists from across Pakistan submitted their works, reflecting the vibrant creative energy of the country's art community.

Out of these, 150 paintings were shortlisted for exhibition and award consideration, making the selection process both exciting and challenging for the curators.

The sheer quality and diversity of the submissions made it equally demanding for the jury to choose the winners, as many works stood out for their originality, concept, and execution.

As in previous editions, this year's jury comprised eminent artists, curators, and art educators - Noorjehan Bilgrami, Professor Rahat Naveed Masud, Sana Arjumand, Ayaz Jokhio, and Irfan Gul Dahri - who evaluated the entries with transparency, independence, and integrity.