Pakistani artist picked by Deutsche Bank as their artist of the year

Pakistani artist Imran Qureshi has been selected by the Deutsche Bank as their Artist of the Year for 2013, reported e-flux.

Deutsche Bank, which aims to recognise contemporary artists producing new and exciting pieces, annually announces its pick of artists. The bank, based on a recommendation of the Deutsche Bank Global Art Advisory Council, awards auspicious artists who address social issues and concentrates on the two focal points of the Deutsche Bank Collection: works on paper and photography.

The selection for the award was announced in Berlin, where Qureshi's work will be displayed in a major gallery exhibition at the Deutsche Bank KunstHalle in spring 2013.

Qureshi, trained as a miniature painter, gets his inspiration from classic Mughal tradition. His contemporary abstract work is a fusion of age-old Islamic art and conceptual thought, which reflects the connection between the West and the Muslim world.

Qureshi’s art is a medium for criticism of religious systems, stereotypes, and conventions. He often displays his work in architectural spaces, working in their historical and political relevance.