Dhoomimal Gallery will be showcasing works by 26 emerging and established artists from six South Asian countries at SOAS Gallery, London, with the exhibition opening on 11th April, 2025.
Titled “(Un)Layering the Future Past of South Asia: Young Artists’ Voices”, this exhibition will provide a global platform for the new generation of South Asian artists, highlighting shared histories and resilience across the region.
Curated by Salima Hashmi and Manmeet K. Walia, the exhibition brings together artists from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Afghanistan to explore urgent themes such as ecological fragility, gender justice, displacement, and political unrest. The show will present new works and pieces that have never before been exhibited in London, including a remarkable range of paintings, sculptures, textiles, video works, and installations.
A standout feature of this exhibition is its cross-border collaboration, with artists from across South Asia sharing their personal and collective narratives. Notable works include Kubra Khademi’s gouaches exploring Afghanistan’s natural resources and Varunika Saraf’s embroidered pieces that depict empowered women resisting state oppression. Additionally, Purvai Rai (India) and Maheen Kazim (Pakistan) present Hum bhi dekhein ge (We too shall see), a powerful reflection on the Partition of India through the lens of textile loss. Hema Shiron (Sri Lanka) will present My Family Is Not In The List (2024), an embroidered work tracing local histories of colonisation and civil war through tales of migration and nostalgic references to lost homes.
The exhibition also features Ashfika Rahman, winner of the Future Generation Art Prize 2024, who will showcase her collaborative work with the indigenous Orao community in northern Bangladesh, and Ayesha Sultana, presenting new glass sculptures that connect folk tales to contemporary political struggles. Other Bangladeshi artists include Dinar Sultana and Palash Bhattacharjee.
Read the full story that first appeared in Nikkei Asia here:
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