Introduction

Karachi Art Directory is a project of the Karachi Biennale Trust, a visionary platform that brings together innovation, excellence and criticality through curatorial strategies. It is a part of the Critical Knowledge Lab that focuses on discourse, research and the documentation of contemporary art from Pakistan.

This project was initiated in 2018 with Tazeen Hussain and Bushra Hussain as the Joint Chairs of the KAD Committee. They both steered this project and extended the database of contemporary artists to creatives engaged in traditional and popular practices like Calligraphy and Truck Art. KAD brings them together on this inclusive art platform for the first time. We would also like to acknowledge the support of interns from various art institutions who have helped with the research.

KAD has been updated in 2023 to include new artists and give current information on artists, curators, galleries and institutions. A rigorous process has been followed to collect information and verify its authenticity. It is now available for researchers and scholars. Karachi, after Delhi and Mumbai, has the largest and most diverse art scene in South Asia in terms of creativity and commerce. This growth is traced back starting in 1947 when early Modernists chose to make the city their home. Karachi has always welcomed experimental genres and art entrepreneurs with enthusiasm.

The city’s large collector base was nurtured by Ali Imam from the time he opened the doors of the Indus Gallery in 1970. Today Karachi is the art commerce hub where dozens of art galleries offer opportunities to artists from Pakistan and the Diaspora. It was the inventive spirit of Karachi that led a group of art professionals and educators to establish the Karachi Biennale. Pakistan’s mega international contemporary art event engages public audiences through exhibitions at multiple venues throughout the city.

Niilofur Farrukh

Managing Trustee
Karachi Biennale Trust