IVS Gallery

As part of the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, the IVS Gallery is committed to initiating and promoting projects and events that are educational in nature, rooted in contemporary and modern art practices, and aligned with the academic and civic ethos of the university. From visual art to design, textiles to performance, the gallery conceptualizes and presents curated, thematic exhibitions that encourage critical discourse and research-based inquiry. In doing so, it offers students opportunities to expand their critical thinking skills and engage with diverse creative processes. The gallery serves as a platform for emerging artists while also offering a prestigious stage for established practitioners through thoughtfully curated exhibitions, retrospectives, and collaborative programs. To further support its exhibitions and engage the community, the gallery hosts a monthly series of artist talks that invites artists at various stages of their careers to discuss their processes, ideas, and experiences.

In 2023, the IVS Gallery presented a wide array of exhibitions and public programs that celebrated diverse artistic practices while encouraging academic dialogue and cultural reflection. As part of the Belongings/dis-belongings residency, Sophia-Layla Afsar joined as a resident artist, and later exhibited alongside Alex Billingham in Open Play Studio: “as we play beneath the warmth of an alien sun.” The exhibition Pakistan in Portraits: A Trip Down Memory Lane, curated by Mr. Romano Karim Yusuf Khan in collaboration with Amima Sayeed from the Continuing Education Program at IVS, offered a nostalgic lens on national identity through portraiture. Another important initiative, Kaghazi Kashtiyan (Paper Boats): The Pakistani Bengali Story, curated by Dr. Humera Iqbal, emerged from a cross-institutional collaboration between University College London, LUMS, and IVS.

The gallery also hosted a live performance blending music and poetry by Ustad Abdul Haleem in collaboration with the Nazrul Academy, Karachi. A key highlight was the private screening of the documentary film BHĀSHALI (Adrift), directed by award-winning filmmaker Jawad Sharif, which was based on research from the Partition of Identity Project, in which IVS served as a project partner. Another impactful exhibition was The Unforgotten Moon: Liberating Art from Guantánamo Bay, a group show curated by Natasha Malik. The IVS Graduate Program Thesis Show featured projects by Babar Sheikh and Quratulain Qamar, offering insight into rigorous creative research at the graduate level. Additional exhibitions included Confessions of a Dustpan, a two-person show by Samra Mansoor and Lujane Pagganwala; Of Claws and Crowns, a solo show by Veera Rustomji; and Unsung 1-1/8", a solo exhibition by Usman Ansari. The gallery also hosted a special artist talk by visiting artist Imran Channa and screened his recent work in video game format. These exhibitions and events reflected a broad spectrum of artistic expression and contributed meaningfully to the academic and creative development of both the IVS student body and the broader public. In parallel with its curatorial work, the gallery team updated artist and curator contracts and compiled a revised inventory of gallery equipment, furniture, and resources to better support future programming.

In 2024, the IVS Gallery began the year with an ambitious retrospective exhibition titled I Will Be DAZ, celebrating seven decades of creative work by Danish Azar Zuby. Curated by Zohaib Zuby in collaboration with the Zuby Trust, the exhibition served as a landmark in honoring the artist’s legacy. This was followed by Zindagi Mazahmat Hai (Life is Resistance), a group show organized by curators Aziz Sohail and Abeeha Abid Hussain, which marked the conclusion of a year-long engagement within the Belonging/Disbelonging project, a two-year collaboration between The New Art Gallery Walsall and the IVS Gallery. Featured artists included Asad Ali Zulfiqar, Layl Ali, Rayhan Muqadam, Rumisa Lakhani, and Zahabia Khozema.

The gallery also presented Sacred Reverberations: Impressions from Ridi Viharaya, an exhibition by Fine Art students Axel Lucas, Dua Azeem, Khadija Jamot, and Komal Rehman, based on their academic trip to Sri Lanka. The works reflected their creative responses to that immersive experience and were shared with the wider IVS community. Solo exhibitions during the year included The Spirit of Play by Zoya Alina Currimbhoy and Heiress of None by Ammara Jabbar, each providing unique perspectives on contemporary practice. In collaboration with the IVS Alumni Association, the gallery hosted the 8th IVS Alumni Show titled All That Is Wild Also Blooms, featuring a diverse range of work by alumni including Alizeh Afzal, Leena Ahmed, Malika Abbas, Rubab Paracha, Schajya Siddiqui, Umaina Khan, Zubairuddin Shaikh, Murtaza Irfan Ali, Fatima Jawed, Layl Ali, Zahabia Khozema, Amna Qamar, Iman Ahmed, and Ahwar Nasir.

In October 2024, the gallery presented Evolving Selves, a solo fine art photography exhibition by IVS faculty member Nomaan Bhatti. Later that year, Storytellers, a group exhibition curated by S.M. Raza, featured the work of Naira Ather, Hasan Baqer, Ramsha Ather, Maryam Shaikh Ali, and Suboohi Kidwai. One of the most significant initiatives of 2024 was the launch of Creative Labs, IVS Gallery’s first hybrid residency program, developed as part of the lead-up to the Sustainability Conference 2025. This two-month residency welcomed creative practitioners Muhammad Daniyal Tariq, Manoj Kumar Khatri, Wajiha Siddiqui, Syed Safdar Ali, and Tahura Kamran. Residents were provided with dedicated studio space, mentorship, and opportunities to engage in dialogue through a curated series of talks by Yasir Darya, Angel Imdad, Sohaid Zuberi, and Noor Butt. The program culminated in an Open Studio event that showcased the research and artistic output of the residents, marking the successful conclusion of Phase 1 of the Creative Labs initiative.