The Ashmolean Museum has acquired three paintings by Ali Kazim, one of the most exciting contemporary artists working in Pakistan today. The acquisition, which coincides with the 75th anniversary of the country’s independence, was made possible with support from the Art Fund, Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund and Patrons of the Ashmolean Museum.
Kazim’s work has been exhibited widely in solo and group shows internationally and forms part of many public collections, including the British Museum in London, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in New Delhi. Kazim uses miniature painting and wash techniques, as practised in South Asia, to make his large-scale paintings. His meticulous draughtsmanship and brushwork capture the very finest details, including individual strands of hair.
Born and based in Pakistan, Kazim is Assistant Professor at the National College of Arts. In 2019 he became the first South Asian artist-in-residence at the Ashmolean Museum. During his residency he drew inspiration from objects in the museum’s Eastern Art collection, reimagining them in his own work and practice. The three paintings acquired by the Ashmolean are informed by his time in the museum.
Thanks to generous support, the Ashmolean Museum was able to purchase two paintings from Kazim’s Untitled (Man of Faith Series) and one painting from his Untitled (Bird Hunter Series). The acquisition helps to ensure that these important works can be enjoyed by members of the public, students, scholars and schoolchildren alike, for many generations to come.
Dr Mallica Kumbera Landrus, Keeper of the Eastern Art Department and Curator of the Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Collections at the Ashmolean Museum, says: ‘Kazim’s technically superb and mesmerising sensitive works reflect upon the fragility and resilience of civilizations, our connections with the past, time, life and death. His paintings and sculpture resonate strongly within the context of the Ashmolean.’
The three newly acquired paintings feature prominently in the artist’s current solo exhibition Ali Kazim: Suspended in Time, which runs at the Ashmolean Museum until 26 June 2022. Curated by Dr Kumbera Landrus, the exhibition features new and existing works by the artist as well as objects from the University’s permanent collection, establishing a visual link between the artefacts of the past and present-day Pakistan.
The Ashmolean Museum holds a distinguished collection of objects from the Indian subcontinent – the most comprehensive of its kind in Britain, outside London. In recent years the museum has increased its engagement with South Asian modern and contemporary art to complement its historical collections. The acquisition of Kazim’s work will further enhance this commitment, helping to create new exchanges between different times and cultures.
Julia Brettell, National Programmes Manager, ACE/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, said: ‘The Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund is delighted to support this acquisition of works by Ali Kazim. These stunningly beautiful paintings are the first contemporary works from South Asia to join the collection and will enable the museum to offer a wider perspective of visual culture from the region to visitors, students and researchers.’
Geoffrey Batchen, Professor of the History of Art in the Department of the History of Art at Oxford University, says: ‘The acquisition of these three significant works by Ali Kazim demonstrates the Ashmolean’s commitment to a productive dialogue between past and present, an essential aspect of its mission within the larger University.’