Installation Garden urges public art discourse

PNCA presents unique exhibit format displaying works by 31 senior artists

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) has organised an outdoor installation and sculpture exhibition titled "In the Meantime: An Installation Garden," marking a significant moment in Pakistan's contemporary art landscape.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition took place on February 6 at the PNCA. The exhibition was inaugurated by Minister for National Heritage and Culture Division (NH&CD) Aurangzeb Khan Khichi.

Curated by Noor Fatima, the ambitious exhibition has transformed the PNCA lawns and amphitheatre into an immersive landscape where art, nature and public space converge. The installation garden represents a bold departure from traditional gallery settings, inviting visitors to experience art within the natural environment.

The exhibition brings together an impressive roster of 31 artists spanning multiple generations — from senior established names to emerging voices in Pakistani contemporary art. The participating artists include Abdul Jabbar Gull, Ain Tamkeen, Asjad Faraz, Azma Sarwar, Bilal Jabbar, Casim Mahmood, Ehtesam Jadoon, Faizan Naveed, Hafsa Nouman Qureshi, Hassan Ali, Hassan Mujtaba, Hassan Sheikh, Hidayat Marwat, Hussain Jamil, Imran Hunzai, Jamil Baloch, Maheen Riaz, Maha Sohail, Mishaim Gardezi, Muhammad Ahsan, Nazir Hunzai, Neele Ahmed, Nolwenn Keraudren, Rafiqullah Khan, Suleman Faisal, Tayyaba Idrees Qureshi, Ubaid Tariq, Waheed Latif, Yahya Khan, Zahid-ul-haq, and Zahra Jadoon

The exhibition's concept, "In the Meantime" explores the intersection of time, memory, material, and nature, transforming the public space into a site of reflection. The outdoor setting allows the artworks to engage in dialogue with their natural surroundings, creating a dynamic environment that shifts with light, weather and visitor interaction throughout the day.

The exhibition is accessible to the public until February 18. Visitors can experience the installation garden daily from 10.00am to 5.00pm, except for Saturdays.

The exhibition's design has been conceived by Momina Salman, whose vision for the show features dramatic monochromatic mountain imagery interwoven with vibrant striations of colour - a visual metaphor for the exhibition's exploration of time, permanence and transformation.

"In the Meantime" represents PNCA's continued commitment to presenting innovative contemporary art experiences that engage diverse audiences and push the boundaries of traditional exhibition formats. By situating large-scale installations within the institution's outdoor spaces, the exhibition will democratise access to contemporary art, allowing it to be experienced freely within the public realm.

The immersive landscape exhibition will offer Pakistani audiences a rare opportunity to engage with contemporary sculpture and installation art in an open-air setting, where the boundaries between art, architecture and nature dissolve into a unified experiential journey.