Wafa holds a Bachelor's degree in Interior Design from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. She is a design aficionado who is currently a full-time Assistant Professor by day and an Interior Design consultant by night. She aims to promote designing safe spaces via interior design and interventions with her freelance practice. Her research interests revolve around topics such as phygital commercial interior spaces, retrofitting interiors, bio-materials and finishes as well as craft in interior spaces.
When she is not facilitating cognitive development or designing, she is found dabbling in various things such as drawing, amateur photography, gadgets, food and travelling the globe.
Swad Chishtie is a Fashion Designer, Entrepreneur, Visual Merchandiser and an Academic instructor. He graduated from the Asian Institute of Fashion Design in 2007 with Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Design and later completed his Master’s Degree in Design Marketing and Merchandising in 2017. He has been associated with the Fashion Industry/Academics for last 13 years.
To gain hands on experience and become a seasoned fashion designer in the future, Swad started working at a contemporary fashion brand called “Ego”. Throughout his career, Swad has worked at top-tier fashion houses and designers like Amir Andan, Red, Fifth Avenue, Umer Sayeed, just to name a few. He was also selected as a designer for Pakistan’s first Fashion Week in 2008.
Swad joined Asian Institute of Fashion Design in 2009 as an adjunct faculty and later found a new love and passion for teaching, continued as a permanent faculty and progressed to become the head of Fashion Department.
Swad has also been affiliated with corporate project such as designing uniforms for the renowned brands like PIA and PSO. He has been associated with Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture since 2018 as Assistant Professor at the Department of Textile Design in the Fashion Design Program.
Suneela Ahmed is an architect, urbanist and an academic. She earned her PhD in 2016 from Oxford Brookes University, UK. Her interests lie in the analyzing the everyday adaptations of architectural and urban spaces at the grass root level by locals of the global south. She also dwells into the mitigation processes through the challenges of globalization, localization and informalization which gives shape to everyday spaces within an urban setting and how these processes form local and global identities. She has written various research papers, book chapters, newspaper articles and presented in conferences around these issues/ themes/ ideas. Her first solo authorship is to be published in October 2022 entitled “Urban Architecture and Local Spaces in Pakistan’ by Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group.
Usman has practiced in the fields of urban planning, architecture and interior design in San Francisco at Gensler and at Meinhardt and TAQ Associates Pvt. Ltd. in Karachi. He also holds a Certificate in Education from The Aga Khan University and a Project Management Professional accreditation, from PMI, U.S.A. As an award-winning designer, his practice has led him to work on urban planning, healthcare, residential, institutional, hospitality, retail and recreational projects. He has also played a pivotal role in shaping the IVS Graduate Programme and is a core member of the degree accreditation inspection team for the Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners. He has reviewed and inspected architecture programs in Karachi, Lahore and Jamshoro. He has taught architecture thesis at Karachi University and has been a thesis examiner for institutions such as NED-UET in Karachi and BUITEMS in Quetta, Baluchistan.
Alongside practice and the pedagogical query of it, Usman is avidly involved in visual and performing arts through art direction, scriptwriting and painting. In 2019 he channeled these interests into the group show, “dys-CONTENT and its (interior) Civilizations”. Since then, his art has been featured in the international web series “Churails”, and he has worked on commissions for both private collectors and corporate clients alike. His first solo show titled “Unsung” opened in Karachi in the fall of 2021.
Ansari is currently working as a script editor for an international web series for Zee Entertainment Enterprises and has also been a script consultant for the film “Cake”.
Strong education professional graduated from USA and IVS, Sadia Kausar is an expert in the design field. Having more than 15+ years of experience, she has demonstrated a strong history of working in the textile and apparel industry. Highly skilled in surface patterning, Sadia has worked with many local and international brands. Her fine workmanship and creative concepts bring new dimensions to both academia and design, where she is a risk-taker and dives with absolute determination.
Working consistently towards self-development and imparting her past work experiences and new ones amongst her peers and students, the conceptual direction of her work is an appropriate fit for IVS and its interdisciplinary environment.
Subsequent to teaching, Sadia has also dedicated her time in the textile industry through freelance projects, leading design teams, both for local and export markets. She has also visualized lawn collections for fashion design houses, from design to execution for apparel.
Sadia in the past has represented Pakistan at an international platform, while she was an adjunct faculty member at IVS, and also through her freelance projects where she designed home textile products for one of the largest textile trade fair shows.
The experience and exposure acquired through her collaborations and interactions reflect in all of Sadia’s endeavours be it academia or industry.
Swad Chishtie is a Fashion Designer, Entrepreneur, Visual Merchandiser and an Academic instructor. He graduated from the Asian Institute of Fashion Design in 2007 with Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Design and later completed his Master’s Degree in Design Marketing and Merchandising in 2017. He has been associated with the Fashion Industry/Academics for last 13 years.
To gain hands on experience and become a seasoned fashion designer in the future, Swad started working at a contemporary fashion brand called “Ego”. Throughout his career, Swad has worked at top-tier fashion houses and designers like Amir Andan, Red, Fifth Avenue, Umer Sayeed, just to name a few. He was also selected as a designer for Pakistan’s first Fashion Week in 2008.
Swad joined Asian Institute of Fashion Design in 2009 as an adjunct faculty and later found a new love and passion for teaching, continued as a permanent faculty and progressed to become the head of Fashion Department.
Swad has also been affiliated with corporate project such as designing uniforms for the renowned brands like PIA and PSO. He has been associated with Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture since 2018 as Assistant Professor at the Department of Textile Design in the Fashion Design Program.
Assistant Professor of the Communication Design Department at IVS, Alfiya Halai, supports diversity in pedagogy through her interest in research, strategy, and design development. She strives to bridge academic and commercial design practices through innovative methodologies and collaboration with the industry to provide students with a platform for experiential learning. As a supporter of mindful communication, Alfiya’s career path has centred around meaningful reach. From a student to a professional in advertising, she has consistently strived to critically evaluate the applied strategies of research, concept development, and design. Her re-association with academia has allowed her to promote creative design practices based on critical cultural inquiry. Throughout her career, from the Creative Manager at Adcom Leo Burnett to Head Creative at O2 Communications, and then, Creative Director/ Partner at Hue Creatives Design House, Alfiya has vied to assess the more fulfilling cultural and ethical import of advertising than the contemporary creative manifestations that majorly employ emotional appeals of needs and wants. At IVS, therefore, Alfiya focuses on projecting design as a homogenous force that develops a responsible societal mindset.
Alfiya has served as the General Secretary of the IVS Faculty Council and is a member of the IVS Campus Conduct Committee established under the IVS Policy on Protection Against Harassment And Discrimination.
Haider Ali Naqvi completed his BFA with a distinction from National College of arts Lahore where he was awarded Sir Percy Brown award for excellence in art history. He was also awarded with Imran Mir art prize in 2019.
Haider Ali’s work is informed by the experience of his immediate surroundings, particularly the built environment and how he move through and interact with it. His work often brings together graphite drawings and found objects such as archival documents, photographs and maps to reveal an intersection between architecture, culture, tradition and history.
Since graduation Haider Ali has exhibited in multiple shows nationally and internationally which includes: The Road Less Travelled, Solo show at Cinema 73, Karachi; Reexamine Retrace at AAN Gandhara art space, Karachi; Virtual Reality, online group show collaborated by O art space and art dekho, Singapore; Pretty art for pretty people at Sanat Initiative, Karachi. Open studio at Gasworks, London; Navigating Matter, two person show at Koel gallery, Karachi; Palat ke dekhte hain, Chawkandi Art Gallery, Karachi; Conurbations, solo show at Old Hum TV Studios, Arts Council, Karachi; Art for Education: Contemporary Artists from Pakistan, Museo Diocesano Carlo Maria Martini, Milan; Augmentation, US Consulate, Karachi; Prologue-Epilogue, Sanat Initiative, Karachi; Karachi Ka Manzarnama, T2F Faraar, Karachi; Five star show, O Art Space Lahore; Microcosm, Gandhara art Gallery Karachi; and Sugarcoated, Hoxton's Basement, London.
Haider Ali has also been awarded with multiple artist residencies including Gasworks international artist residency, London; Single artist residency at Vasl, Karachi; Artist residency at Sanat initiative, Karachi.
Dr. Faiza Mushtaq Associate Professor PhD. Sociology, Northwestern University, USA M.A. Sociology, Northwestern University, USA B.A. Sociology, McGill University, Canada Dr. Faiza Mushtaq is a sociologist with a PhD from Northwestern University. She joined IVS as the Dean and Executive Director in January 2021, continuing her strong track record of academic leadership and excellence in teaching, research and writing.
Dr. Mushtaq has been the Chair of the Social Sciences and Liberal Arts department at the Institution of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi, She has also held research and teaching appointments at a number of institutions in the U.S. and Pakistan, including Northwestern University, George Washington University, the Lahore University of Management Sciences, and the Collective for Social Science Research. Her research interests include the sociology of culture, gender, social movements, and qualitative methods. She is currently part of a collaborative ethnographic research project exploring the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on youth well-being, gendered division of labor and family dynamics in Karachi.
Durreshahwar Alvi currently pursues her interest in transdisciplinary knowledge and research to document, understand and bridge the gap between the biosphere and human development. Her area of focus within this is urban land management and development to work towards increasing the biodiversity of cities. Durreshahwar’s other area of interest lies in exploring architecture, and cities, as complex adaptive systems, drawing
understanding from natural living systems.
Durreshahwar’s work has been exhibited internationally as a member of the design team of the National Pavilion of Pakistan at the Biennale Architettura, La Biennale di Venezia, 2018.
Durreshahwar has been teaching at IVS since 2016. Before this, she taught as Adjunct Faculty, while working for Arif Hasan-Architect and Town Planner as an architect and researcher.
Munawar Ali Syed is an interdisciplinary artist and art educator who lives and works in Karachi where he teaches as an Associate Professor at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture. Munawar has a Bachelor of Fine Art (BFA) major in sculpture from National College of Arts, Lahore in 1999. Later, he completed his Masters in Art education from Beaconhouse National University, Lahore in 2016. Munawar’s work has been shown in various major national and international platforms along with seven solo presentations and several group shows and his works was also included in notable publications. Munawar was also a participating artist in KB17 and KB19. Munawar has also been awarded the SATHA innovation award in 2016 for his contribution in the discipline of public art. He has received ADA National Award 2018/19 for categories of ‘Performance' and ‘Site-Specific’ work. Munawar also got the viewer choice award of the 2019 Sovereign Asian Art prize-Hong Kong.
Currently he teaches drawing in the Foundation Programme at IVS. Previously he taught sculpture, drawing and was a thesis advisor as a visiting and permanent faculty in the Department of Visual Studies – University of Karachi, Textile institute of Pakistan, Karachi School of Arts and Central Institute of Arts and Crafts.
With a teaching experience of 5 years in various institutes and professional experience of almost 20 years ranging from Fine Art, Photography, Film to Interior and Fashion, Bhatti brings an extensive multidisciplinary approach to his teaching pedagogy.
A graduate of Fine Arts and Masters in Filmmaking from Kingston University, London, Bhatti along with his critical thinking has been instrumental in devising the curriculum for the new Media Design programme in the Communication Design Department.
His experience in the media which includes set design, scriptwriting, 2D/3D animation, non-linear editing, cinematography, lighting & direction, has been an invaluable asset to the students of the Media Design programme.
His teaching methodology reflects the optimism that he believes in, the belief that students are motivated to learn and master their craft; that the youth have a continuous hunger to improve and be a positive influence on the community.
Strong education professional graduated from USA and IVS, Sadia Kausar is an expert in the design field. Having more than 15+ years of experience, she has demonstrated a strong history of working in the textile and apparel industry. Highly skilled in surface patterning, Sadia has worked with many local and international brands. Her fine workmanship and creative concepts bring new dimensions to both academia and design, where she is a risk-taker and dives with absolute determination.
Working consistently towards self-development and imparting her past work experiences and new ones amongst her peers and students, the conceptual direction of her work is an appropriate fit for IVS and its interdisciplinary environment.
Subsequent to teaching, Sadia has also dedicated her time in the textile industry through freelance projects, leading design teams, both for local and export markets. She has also visualized lawn collections for fashion design houses, from design to execution for apparel.
Sadia in the past has represented Pakistan at an international platform, while she was an adjunct faculty member at IVS, and also through her freelance projects where she designed home textile products for one of the largest textile trade fair shows.
The experience and exposure acquired through her collaborations and interactions reflect in all of Sadia’s endeavours be it academia or industry.
Asma Mundrawala’s interdisciplinary practice intersects the visual arts, theatre and performance, and education. Her research interests in popular culture, public spheres, Urdu literature and its performative traits critically inform her creative practice and approach to art education.
Asma is the co-founder and creative director of Zambeel Dramatic Readings. Her current practice renders texts from Urdu literature in a dramatised form to a live audience, creating dynamic collusion between literature and performance. Referencing traditions of storytelling and the contemporary form of the radio play, the works aim to enliven narratives through sound and recitation. She has also initiated and curated the ongoing project Zambeelnaama, a monthly audio channel for Zambeel Dramatic Readings.
Asma’s visual practice has been represented in exhibitions internationally, including the Sharjah Art Foundation, in Sharjah; the Devi Art Foundation in Delhi, India; Project 88 in Mumbai, India; and the Aicon Gallery in New York, USA. Under Zambeel’s banner, she has performed across Pakistan at the Literature and the Children’s Literature Festivals in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad; and internationally for the Devi Art Foundation in Delhi and The Citizen’s Foundation in London. Her academic research has been published in The Routledge Companion to Applied Performance, Volume Two, (Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group); the journal RIDE: Research in Drama Education, (Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group, UK); and Mapping South Asia through Contemporary Theatre - Essays on the Theatres of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, (Palgrave Macmillan, UK).
Asma has been teaching at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture since 2010 and is a Professor in the Department of Fine Art.
Links:
Zambeel Dramatic Readings: https://zambeeldramaticreadings.wordpress.com/
Zambeelnaama: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe6NFbeVoSrgC9WerI-yERg
Affan Baghpati is a Karachi based visual artist and art educator. He completed his undergraduate degree in Fine Arts from IVS and has a master’s degree in Art & Design Studies from Beaconhouse National University, Lahore. He is currently a lecturer at the IVS, teaching 3D Design Studio course in the Foundation Programme. Baghpati has showcased his works at Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Delhi, Milan, New York, Philadelphia, Beirut, and Dubai. His works were also a part of the Sindh Art Festival, Karachi Biennale, Lahore Biennale, Beirut Art Fair, and India Art Fair.
For Dubai Expo-2020, Pakistan pavilion curatorial team commissioned him an art installation which will be on display till March 2022. Baghpati received a Merit Scholarship Award from UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Institute for South Asia Regional Cooperation. He is also the recipient of the first cycle of the ‘Artist Residency in Museum’ in Karachi, hosted by the State Bank of Pakistan Museum and Art Gallery in 2020. He received the Art Design Architecture Awards (ADA) award for the category of sculpture in 2021.
At IVS, Baghpati’s studio practice revolves around object making and installation art through the canon of old regional design and material culture of but not limited to South Asia.
After completing her bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Mahwish started working with the Heritage Foundation to explore her quest for the conservation and adaptive reuse of buildings. Later on, completed her diploma in Project Management in 2013 from NED and worked as a commercial architect for the Habitt Group and Impact Design International. She worked on multiple scale projects from architecture intervention to interior design. Her work trajectory from practice changed in 2012 when she found her inner contentment in academia and started her academic career in fall 2012 from NED University. Developed love for academic writing and since then authored papers for many National and International conferences. To name a few DCA, IRCICA, UIA, IAP, Paris Design Summit and APMS New York.
She started working as a faculty and Head of Department of Interior design at Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture in 2014 and completed her successful tenure in 2021. Currently she is serving as an Assistant professor and teaches Interior design studios and her core subject Adaptive reuse and Interior Architecture theories. She is currently exploring her passion in education and a journey to enable others to achieve their respective paths. Her recent body of work mainly focuses on the interdisplinary nature of the design both in academia and practice.
She is running a design practice by the Name of M Studio which specializes in Architecture and Interior design which aims to create spaces which respond to its user needs and are sensitive to the context. Her M luxury furniture line is her recent venture which deals with residential furniture, finishes and products.
Ira Kazi’s practice intersects between urbanism and landscape design. At the core of her work are values of participatory action for community development. Her research seeks to understand design issues and create methodologies for developing and maintaining green open breathable spaces in an otherwise concrete jungle.
As the principal partner at Kazi Landscape Design, Ira has worked on numerous residential and commercial landscape design projects exploring sustainability through parks, schools, residential gardens, restaurants, and urban spaces. Enthusiastic about passing her knowledge, she has taught landscape, urban, and rural environment design to students of various levels at IVS over the past decade.
Ira has also designed Lignum Park, one of the three adjacent parks adopted by IVS. While working in New York for Dadras Architects, she worked on revitalizing various public spaces and streets. Her inclusive design process ensures the participation of neighborhood stakeholders - something she strives to familiarize students within her design studios.
Living and working in Karachi, Arsalan Nasir is a creative practitioner and art educator. He obtained his Master’s Degree in Art & Design Studies, from Beaconhouse National University, Lahore, in 2017 where he received the UMMESA South Asia Scholarship Award. Nasir specializes in new media forms of art and interactive installations embedding social and environmental critical narratives in his work. Nasir’s earliest introduction to academia was as a teaching assistant to Ms. Salima Hashmi and Malcom Hutchison in the Art Education program at Beaconhouse National University. As a permanent faculty at IVS, Nasir was teaching Basic Design in Foundation Programme since 2020, coordinating with his team to improvise the course during the pandemic to meet the needs of online teaching a studio course. He developed and taught two elective courses at the department of Fine Art to 3rd year students which involved his expertise as a new media artist, working with interactive technologies. Arsalan joined the Dept. of Fine Art as full-time faculty in Spring 2022.
Seher Naveed was awarded a BFA from the Indus Valley School of Art & Architecture, Karachi in 2007 and an MA in Fine Art from Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, London in 2009. Her practice draws inspiration from repetitive geometric patterns found in urban architecture, with her hometown Karachi serving as a source of inspiration and even a direct reference in her work. She is interested in the iconography of urban landscapes and its critical engagement with ideas of formalism, image, and abstraction in painting.
She has exhibited her work in various local and international galleries. Her work titled ‘Tip 1 & Tip 4’ was recently acquired by the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, New Delhi, for their permanent collection. She participated in the Murree Museum Artists Residency, the Vasl Taaza Tareen Artists Residency as a writer in residence, Start Jordan, Jordan, as an artist in residence and Sutra residency in Kathmandu, Nepal. In 2015, Seher initiated and curated a research project called ‘Drawing Documents’ which is an on-going series of publications that looks at various drawing practices in Pakistan.
Maham Khurshid is an architect, designer and research enthusiast. Her writings orchestrate satire as a theatrical commentary on spatial practices while her research and practice expand on the soliloquies of space as an opportunity for collaborative and interdisciplinary discourse.
Her work investigates the politics of power in urban narratives, sieving it through the lens of intersectionality within the domains of privilege and marginalisation. For her master's thesis, supervised by Dr. Emma Cheatle at the Sheffield School of Architecture, she drew from John Hedjuk’s Masques of Medusa as an allegory to represent the urban narrative of ‘the other side of the bridge’ in Karachi to map the socio-political and socio-economic impact of politics of power in the city.
Maham’s intention as an academic is to intertwine design learning with a conceptual and theoretical emblem. As a practising architect, she continues to explore her flair for corporate, retail and residential design in various notable projects across the city.
Qurratulain graduated with a B.Arch from Indus Valley School of Art
& Architecture Karachi in 2007. She also holds a Certificate in Retail
Design from Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, London. Her
interest in architectural writing led her to extensively contribute to national
press and architecture journals. She won the Eighth Annual Prize for
Architecture Design Excellence 2006 after which her essay was published in the
Almanac of Architecture & Design 2007.
Having setup her own architecture practice fairly early in her career,
she has successfully led the design & execution of commercial, corporate,
residential & retail projects both locally & internationally. Her
design philosophy is to conceptually & visually strategize design to
narrative led spatial environments.
A strong advocate for critical design theory & analysis, her
theoretical practice draws from representational & indigenous storytelling
and regional wisdom of design with a strong interest and ongoing research in
adaptive reuse. In pursuit of the same she co-developed a course called
Adaptive Reuse & Beyond for the Interior Design Department at IVS.
Qurratulain has represented her practice & the Interior
Design Department at various events including Women of the World Festival in
2024 as a panel speaker and as a presenter for ‘Bunder Road Se Kemari’ at
Khaliq Dina Hall organized by Numaish Karachi as part of The Reading Room
series.
Danish Ahmed is a visual artist who has been associated with academia since the last 25 years. After completing his MFA from UNSW in Australia, he returned to Pakistan and has been contributing to the art & design education in an academic leadership position ever since. Ahmed also taught ‘Drawing & Painting’ to undergraduate students at the College of Fine Arts, UNSW while doing his research for MFA. He is currently working at IVS as an Associate Professor and the Deputy Director – Quality Enhancement Cell. Before coming to IVS, Ahmed taught at Textile Institute of Pakistan for 17 years where he was an Associate Professor and served as the Programme Coordinator for ‘Textile Design Technology’ programme. Has participated in a number of group shows within Pakistan and a solo show in Sydney. Ahmed is currently investigating the boundaries of the genre of painting by exploring the process of digital printing and its fusion with the conventional drawing and painting mediums. Danish Ahmed is also one of the founding members of The Karachi Collective (TKC) an online platform engaging in a discourse on art, design and interdisciplinary humanities. [br]
[br]Throughout his teaching career, his core competency remained drawing and painting. He considers drawing as one of the most spontaneous, organic and truthful processes that helps students to investigate, organize and represent ideas. During his long teaching career, he spearheaded numerous curriculum exercises and developed several courses.
Since 1988, Farah Mahbub has been exhibiting as a visual artist in Pakistan and the international world. Equally adept in analogue printing as she is in the digital darkroom, her work traverses from documentary to digital photo-montage techniques, incorporating layers of light, shade, textures, architecture, natural objects, animals, landscapes and calligraphic text. Her visual-scapes, often unpopulated, are as dense as the multiple meanings they extend to, inspired by philosophical discourse on Sufism; insights garnered from traveling and reflections on nature in the respite of her studio.
She joined the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture in 1997 as a faculty member, where she has been ever since. Under her tenure, photography has evolved from a single class into an undergraduate minor spanning the Communication Design and Fine Art and Interior Design departments. For Farah Mahbub, photography allows her to reconcile the rift between mindfulness and expression. Only when ideas and intuitions connect with imagery, can thought and execution become one. From this unity of value, a visual language emerges that speaks from imagination and familiarity; it speaks back to the audience, to the news, to foresight, to philosophy, to awe. As a highly personal form of communication, the image offers an open point of engagement: both the maker and the consumer seek out a confirmation of themselves through the layers of meaning that allow the image to transcend its two-dimensional limitations. Thus, the silence of the photograph cries out; but you are quiet, and so am I.
Seema’s work transpires from the energy found in the urban metropolis and her sculptures, drawings and collages indicate her capacity to understand the most unusual materials, which are in cooperated in her oeuvre. Nusrat’s current research references the culture of fortification in Karachi, whereby buildings are secured and protected from potential disruptions and violence. Her work uses this visual representation to consider the increasing politicisation of architecture in our cities in volatile times. Seema Nusrat lives and works in Karachi, Pakistan. Selected exhibitions include Brave new world, Canvas Gallery (2020), Proposals Towards a New Architecture, Gandhara Art Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan (2017); New Urban Landscapes, Koel Gallery, Karachi (2017); the inaugural Lahore Biennale (2018), Gateway: Structures of Meaning | Architectures of Perception, Abu Dhabi Art Fair, Abu Dhabi, UAE (2018), Young Sub-continent Project, Serendipity Arts Festival, Goa, India (2018). Residencies attended, Pioneer Art Residency, Khushab, Pakistan (2018), JSW, Abhisaran SAARC artist residency- Vijyanagar, India (2014), 4th Fukuoka Asian Art Triennial - Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan (2009), Gasworks Residency, London, UK (2008) https://www.seemanusrat.com
Anushka Rustomji is an educator and visual artist, based in Karachi. She graduated from the National College of Arts, Lahore with a BFA in 2012 on a merit scholarship. Her practice is influenced by themes of visual history and erasure, in reference to colonization and diasporic communities. Her visual vocabulary is informed by ancient Eastern imagery, practices, texts and traditions. She has exhibited her work nationally and internationally.
She has been a participant in practice-based and theoretical workshops, including the 'Curatorial Workshop' conducted by the American Institute of Pakistan Studies and Lahore Biennale Foundation in 2018, 'Introduction to critically reflective practices for Foundation Year Studio Faculty' by Dr. Razia Sadik, in 2017, 'Faculty Mentoring Workshop, 2017' by Vasl Artists’ Collective, conducted by Dr. Iftikhar Dadi, Dr. Kamran Asdar et al in Karachi. She was one of the three member team to formulate and conduct a workshop (in association with The Global Shapers Community) on 'An Introduction to the Art of Story-telling through Art and Design', for residents/ volunteers at the Social Innovation Academy (SINA), Mpigi village, Uganda. She was a participant at the ‘Pilotenkueche artist residency’ in 2015 in Leipzig, Germany.
Rustomji started teaching at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture in 2020. She previously taught at the Beaconhouse National University (SVAD), Lahore, National College of Arts, Lahore, Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design, Lahore, and Kinnaird College for Women University, Lahore.
Kamran Haider joined teaching after an extensive experience of 10 years in the discipline of Civil Engineering. He worked with reputable companies such as Fida Husein & Associate and Lotia & Lotia as an Associate Engineer. Haider has a Diploma of Associate Engineering from GCT and Bachelor of Technology in Civil Technology from Indus University, Karachi. He also has another Bachelors of Arts degree from Karachi University. Teaching became Kamran Haider’s core profession in 2005 when he joined IVS where he is currently working as a lecturer. Along with a long association with teaching, he also works as a consultant for residential and commercial projects in Karachi.
During all his teaching career, Haider has been associated with teaching mainly ‘Technical Drawing’ courses in the Foundation Programme. He has successfully developed teaching techniques suitable for first year students who are experiencing the art & design studio practice for the first time. His instructional accuracy makes it easier for students to comfortably learn this highly challenging and technically heavy subject. Students from different departments also come to Kamran Haider for consultation related to their architectural drawing solutions.
Faiqa Jalal is a Karachi based visual artist and received her BDes from National College of Arts (NCA), Lahore. Previously, she has worked at Interflow Advertising and Orient McCann as a senior designer, developing design strategies for print, TV and radio promotional campaigns for various brands. She is currently a lecturer in the Foundation Programme at IVS. Her research "Communication and Representation in Design", has been published in International Art & Design Conference proceedings hosted by IVS in collaboration with Kennesaw State University, Georgia, USA. She has continued working as a freelance designer focusing on branding, which includes print collaterals, website design and social media marketing.
Faiqa's teaching philosophy revolves around facilitating meaningful and practical learning to students through active and experiential teaching in studio practice by creating safe spaces for collaborative and collective learning. Her teaching methodology is student centered and aims to support students as individuals in all facets of their growth and development. As an educator, the empathic aspect to teaching is critical to her that leads to a good working relationship with students. Her methodology reflects upon her teaching experience, creating links with prior knowledge and experiences, creating new curiosities for students.
Javaria M. Rafiq is an Assistant Professor currently teaching in the Foundation programme, received her B Design Degree in Communication Design from the Department of Visual Studies, University of Karachi. She started her teaching career at Habib University followed by Karachi School of Art. Currently, she is teaching the Basic Design course in the Foundation Year Programme. She has been a part of the Communication Design Department as an Adjunct faculty teaching Visual Systems. She has worked as a visual artist and assistant project manager in public-space exhibitions and inclusive wall painting projects for ‘I Am Karachi Pakistan’, Naval Academy, and a few projects for NOWPDP for the deaf artists and designers, an initiative for the physically challenged.
For Rafiq, being a communication designer and educator is about more than teaching students how to create interesting stories. It’s about imparting her personal philosophy on design, a process she believes is immersive and collaborative at its core. She also has a fascination with learning about how behaviors shape the human perspective and is interested in exploring how design could play a part in it. Her interest in learning and understanding the skill of learning prompted her to explore the field of education and become an educator.
Over the years, she has developed a keen interest in the area of Interaction Design. She is a member of The Interaction Design Foundation, enrolled in online certification for UX/UI Design. One can view her certifications at www.interactiondesign.org/javaria-m-rafiq
Nurayah Sheikh is an art educator and a visual artist. Her pedagogical trajectory closely draws upon her own investigations and relationship with the medium of printmaking. She has taught the subject at IVS since 2005, designed curriculums, led workshops, coordinated national & international educational exchanges, and fundraising projects originating at the IVS Print studio. Research through her visual practice explores the complex multiplicity in avatars associated with the woman. Sheikh has widely shown her work, represented Pakistan on panel discussions, and participated in collaborative research in the context of printmaking. Some notable platforms of engagement; 2021 investigating historical frameworks linking NCA and Slade, Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art, London (PMC), the Karachi Biennale 2019, the Guanlan International Print Biennial and Guanlan Forum at China Printmaking Museum 2019, the KB17, DECK Gallery Singapore 2016, Karachi Literature Festival 2016 and at the Sharjah Museum 2012 “Trajectories”: 19th-21st century; Printmaking from Pakistan and India.
Sheikh is a board member for the gallery ‘O Art space’, Lahore, Workshop coordinator at Koel Gallery, Member of the core committee for ‘Pursukoon Karachi’, and is associated with Karwan-e-Hayat, an organization active in caring for mentally ill indigent patients. Through these platforms she has curated and worked on abundant community-building projects.
She received her BFA with a distinction in Printmaking and Sculpture from the National College of Arts, Lahore, and was awarded a gold medal for academic excellence in MA Art Education at Mariam Dawood School of Visual Art & Design, BNU, Lahore. Her MA research probed Student Assessment Structures within Undergraduate Art schools in Pakistan and focused on the premise and practice of teachers' preferred models of classroom assessment.
Currently Associate Professor and Head of the IVS Foundation Programme, Sheikh looks to strengthen and build upon existing components to align the horizontal and vertical integration within and beyond the scope of the programme. Actively engaged with students and the art ed. community at large through teaching, dialogic sessions, thesis critiques, curation, and coordination of multi-aged workshops, she strives to instil passion towards holistic learning in a critically engaged environment.
Sarfarazuddin is originally from Gilgit-Baltistan region and currently works and lives in Karachi. He has a BDes in product design from the National College of Arts, Lahore. Before joining academia, Sarfaraz worked as a product designer in different product development companies including Interwood (Pvt) Limited; where his core responsibility was to develop concepts of new products and design modification of the existing product line. He is currently working at IVS as a lecturer where he teaches Technical Drawing in the Foundation Programme. Sarfaraz also teaches prototyping, model making and industrial drafting in the Industrial Design programme at the department of Visual Studies – University of Karachi. He contributes to the Aga Khan Youth and Sports Board as a member to conduct art & design workshops for youth development programme.
Adeel uz Zafar is a visual artist, independent curator and an art educator. Zafar holds a BFA in painting with a distinction from the National College of Arts, Lahore. Zafar has participated in many national and international exhibitions with eight solo presentations, numerous group shows, art fairs and Biennales including Art Stage Singapore, Art Fair Philippines, Art Dubai, Art Abu Dhabi, Art Basel Hong Kong, Pulse Art Fair New York, India Art Fair and the 2nd Kathmandu International Art Festival. He has been a part of a number of national and international residencies including the Studio R.M Residency-Lahore, Parramatta Artists’ Studios and Cicada Press COFA UNSW-Australia, Creative Fusion International Artists Residency-Cleveland Foundation-USA and at C3A – Center of Contemporary Art, Cordoba-Spain. He is also an appointed nominator from the South East Asian region for the Sovereign Asian Art Prize – Hong Kong since 2019.
Zafar is currently working as an Assistant Professor at the Indus Valley School of Art & Architecture. He teaches and leads the coordination for Drawing courses in the Foundation Programme. He has previously held the post of an Art Instructor at the Karachi Grammar School. Adeel uz Zafar has also been appointed as an examiner and external juror at the NCA, Lahore - Karachi University and the University of Art, Design and Heritages, Jamshoro.
Aliya Yousuf, received her BFA (2003) and Postgraduate Diploma in Photography (2011) from Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture. She has also completed her Masters in Art Education from Beaconhouse University in 2020. She has participated in several residencies and her work has been exhibited in group and solo shows in Pakistan, Canada, South Korea and the UK. Primarily practicing as a ceramic sculptor, her work most often finds its basis in harmony with nature, listening to the material speak and letting the words be translated by her fingers into forms that in turn speak to the viewer. Deconstructing and then reconstructing simple familiar forms to challenge traditional views while simultaneously creating tensions through contrasts and ambiguities.
She applies a similar approach to her teaching by taking the ambiguous path of new technological developments in the fields of art making and art objects. Challenging the traditional teaching pedagogies and methodologies with recent shifts in art practices where the boundaries have been blurred between various disciplines of art & design which she tries to address in art education as well. She defines her main aspiration is to prepare the new generation for future responsibilities and success in life, by means of acquisition of the organized bodies of information and prepared forms of skills with comprehensive understanding of art making and application of craft with deep understanding characteristics of materials. She has presented these concerns in her peer reviewed paper - Indian Ocean Craft Triennial : IOTA21, AUSTRALIA.
Currim Suteria is an architect and educator based in Karachi, Pakistan. As a practitioner, Currim has been involved in projects of varying scales including residences, high-density low-cost housing, and hospitality in northern Pakistan. Presently he also serves as a design consultant for the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat. He currently teaches in the graduate programme at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture and in the Department of Architecture at IVS. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Architecture with a minor in International Development Studies from McGill University, and his Master of Architecture from the University of Waterloo, Canada.
Dr. Faiza Mushtaq Associate Professor PhD. Sociology, Northwestern University, USA M.A. Sociology, Northwestern University, USA B.A. Sociology, McGill University, Canada Dr. Faiza Mushtaq is a sociologist with a PhD from Northwestern University. She joined IVS as the Dean and Executive Director in January 2021, continuing her strong track record of academic leadership and excellence in teaching, research and writing.
Dr. Mushtaq has been the Chair of the Social Sciences and Liberal Arts department at the Institution of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi, She has also held research and teaching appointments at a number of institutions in the U.S. and Pakistan, including Northwestern University, George Washington University, the Lahore University of Management Sciences, and the Collective for Social Science Research. Her research interests include the sociology of culture, gender, social movements, and qualitative methods. She is currently part of a collaborative ethnographic research project exploring the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on youth well-being, gendered division of labor and family dynamics in Karachi.
Sadia Salim's multidisciplinary art practice is informed by the narratives of place, lived experiences and everyday objects. While she works in multiple mediums, ceramics remains her forte, and her practice has evolved into an intensive study of materials and techniques associated with the medium. The study and research have become a focus, for the benefit of pedagogy and for the promotion of crafts, especially kashikari, practiced in Sindh and Southern Punjab. As part of her research and creative practice, she has participated in and presented at local and international conferences, residencies, exhibitions, and biennials. Her visual work and writings have been presented in notable publications.
Salim has established the first interdisciplinary graduate programme at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture (IVS) and was its founding director from 2018-21. She has extensive experience in teaching art and design and previously revamped and led the Department of Ceramics at IVS for five years. She is a founder member of Pursukoon Karachi, a collective that organises artistic events in public spaces.
Salim is a recipient of the coveted Commonwealth Arts and Crafts Award and Fulbright Scholarship. She received a B.Des. from IVS, and an Ed.M. in Art and Art Education from Columbia University, New York.
Exhibitions
Karachi Biennale KB17 and 19.
Lahore Biennale 01.
Global Studios, Bluecoat Gallery, Liverpool.
Corobrik National Ceramics Exhibition, Johannesburg.
BKK, South Asian women respond to conflict, Leeds City Museum and Gallery.
Inaugural Exhibition, National Art Gallery, Islamabad.
Tale of the Tile, Mohatta Palace Museum, Karachi.
Artist in Residence
Künstlerhaus Stadttöpferei Neumunster, Germany.
Ceramic Laboratory, Mark Rothko Centre, Latvia.
Third International Ceramic Symposium, Turkey.
FADA, University of Johannesburg, South Africa.
Greatmore Studios, South A.
Institute of Ceramic Studies, Japan.
Presentations
Ceramic Education Conference, Izzet Baysal University, Turkey.
Summer Lecture Series, University of the Arts, Philadelphia.
Fuse:Refuse, Alchemy Festival, Royal Albert Hall, London.
District Six Museum, Cape Town.
Website
http://cargocollective.com/sadiasalim
Zarmeene
Shah is an academic, and an independent curator and writer currently based in
Karachi, Pakistan. Focusing on global contemporary art with specialist
knowledge of the Global South (and Pakistan in particular), Shah’s
research-based practice investigates ideas of power and control, geography and
territory, rights and access.[br]
[br] With an MA in Critical & Curatorial Studies from Columbia University in 2010, Shah became one of Pakistan’s first professionally qualified curators. Since then she has curated and been involved in the
production of several notable and often large-scale exhibitions of contemporary art institutionally and independently, including ‘The Rising Tide: New Directions in Art From Pakistan’ (2010), the 4th Cairo Video Festival (2011), the politically focused ‘Parrhesia’ I & II shows (2011 & 2015), the Karachi Biennale (2017), Althea Thauberger’s ‘Pagal Pagal Pagal Pagal Filmi Dunya’ (2017), and Madiha Aijaz’s ‘Memorial for the Lost Pages’ at CAG Vancouver (2020). [br]
[br] She has previously served as Consultant for South Asian Art for CCA Derry-Londonderry (Northern Ireland), Assistant Director & Curator at the Mohatta Palace Museum (Karachi), and
Curator-at-Large of the inaugural Karachi Biennale (KB17). She has also led curatorial workshops and hosted and taken part in numerous talks, conferences and panel discussions. [br]
[br] Shah is considered one of the country’s foremost writers on contemporary art, with a host of contributions in magazines, journals, catalogues, books and monographs. She is currently Associate Professor at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture where she has previously been Head of the Liberal Arts program.[br]
Currim Suteria is an architect and educator based in Karachi, Pakistan. As a practitioner, Currim has been involved in projects of varying scales including residences, high-density low-cost housing, and hospitality in northern Pakistan. Presently he also serves as a design consultant for the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat. He currently teaches in the graduate programme at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture and in the Department of Architecture at IVS. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Architecture with a minor in International Development Studies from McGill University, and his Master of Architecture from the University of Waterloo, Canada.
The Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture (IVS) proudly unveils its Degree Show 2024, featuring innovative final projects by over 180 graduating students from its Fine Art, Architecture, Communication Design, Interior Design, Fashion Design, and Textile Design departments.
The exhibition, open to the public until Saturday, December 14th, offers a remarkable journey through creativity, innovation, and purpose.
Among the highlights, Communication Design graduate Nabia Tariq presents her thesis, SafeHer, addressing the challenges women face when commuting in Karachi. The project proposes SafeStops —women-only waiting areas — and an empowering app that provides real-time updates, convenience, and emergency support, reimagining safer public transport experiences for women.
Another Communication Design graduate, Hiba Rehman, introduces Jugnoo, a design-driven initiative dedicated to improving the emotional and psychological well-being of children living with their incarcerated mothers in Central Jail, Karachi. Her project includes trauma-informed spaces equipped with educational resources and a community engagement website encouraging mentorship and donations.
Fine Art graduate Zoraiz Jafri’s project, Silent Symbols and Louder Narratives, investigates how symbols of power, such as branded pens and furniture in government offices, subtly exert authority. His work critiques these elements through their design, placement, and historical context, exploring their impact on identity and societal structures.
Architecture graduate Neha Mansoor draws inspiration from Shah Rasool Colony’s narrow, labyrinth-like streets with her project, Labyrinthine-scapes: Navigating Opportunities for Discovery and Play. Her design creates informal learning and play spaces, integrating art as a tool for empowerment, reflecting the colony’s urban fabric.
Textile Design graduate Mahnoor Mehmoud’s Silhouette in Wax reinterprets Indonesia’s Cap Batik, blending cultural essence with sustainability. Her immersive installation invites viewers to explore this traditional art form through a personal lens.
Fashion Design graduate Reyan Iqbal’s All That Glitters is Gold spotlights the exquisite emeralds of Swat Valley mines. His centerpiece, a breastplate crafted from recycled aluminum, reflects sustainability and innovation while fostering global recognition of local treasures.
Interior Design graduate Sana Waheed’s project, Aakhri Qist, juxtaposes spaces occupied by women in two iconic Pakistani TV dramas, Tanhaiyan (1985) and Humsafar (2011). Her work highlights changes in female characters and their representation across eras.
The Degree Show celebrates the power of art and design to address societal issues, foster creativity, and inspire change.
The second edition of the IVS Film Festival commenced on
September 6th with a warm welcome address by Dr. Faiza Mushtaq, Dean and
Executive Director, followed by opening remarks from Alfiya Halai, Head of the
Dept. Of Communication Design at IVS. The festival consisted of a bootcamp, workshops
from industry experts, panel discussions with media moguls and a grand awards
ceremony.
Day 1
The highlight of the Day 1 was an engaging panel discussion titled Film as a
Catalyst for Social Change, featuring distinguished speakers: Umair Nasir
(Director, Nayab), Gul Zaib Shakeel (General Manager, SOC Films), Jamal Rahman
(Director, Coke Studio), and advertising powerhouse Ali Rez (CCO, Impact BBDO).
Moderated by visual artist and illustrator Samya Arif, the conversation
explored how films have driven significant social change in Pakistan by
sparking difficult yet necessary dialogues.
Ali Rez and Gul Zaib Shakeel shared impactful examples of projects they believe
made lasting societal contributions, while Umair Nasir and Gul Zaib emphasized
the importance of empathy when addressing real people and current events
through film. Jamal Rahman encouraged emerging filmmakers to tell the stories
they truly want to share, urging them to master the art of subtext to navigate
censorship.
Day 2
Industry leaders came together to discuss the Future of
Independent Filmmakers and OTT Platforms. Panelists Hasan Sandhila (Vice
President - Digital Division, Jazz), Ateequr Rehman (CEO, GroupM), and Umair
Masoom (Managing Director, myco) highlighted key challenges, such as securing
funding and navigating the digital media landscape. The talk was moderated by
advertising and marketing mogul, Ali Rizvi
Ateequr Rehman emphasized the importance of focusing on what works in the
market, noting that family-driven stories and cultural content have the most
potential. Hasan Sandhila added that today's generation seeks relatable
content, making originality more important than ever.
Umair Masoom addressed the struggle to secure capital but encouraged filmmakers
to keep pushing forward despite market limitations.
Day 3
Day 3 of the IVS Film Festival consisted of a powerpacked
panel discussion on Heroes and Villains: is there room for Nuanced Characters
on Pakistani Film and TV. We were joined by panelists Sarwat Gilani (actor),
Bee Gul (writer), Sabeena Farooq (actor) and Nadeem Baig (Director), and Fifi
Haroon as the moderator.
Bee Gul explained that negative characters are a lot of fun to write because
they are liberated and tend to be more interesting than heroes. Sarwat and
Sabeena described which of their characters they believed were heroes. Nadeem
Baig shared anecdotes from his TV show, Sinf-e- Ahan, that showed female
characters in a new light.
The evening concluded with an awards ceremony and a soulful
musical ceremony curated by thesis student Azhar Zaidi and musicians from IVS
and NAPA.
The Department of Communication Design hosted an Interaction Design Symposium consisting of workshops, student design charrette and 8 workshops for UX/UI designers from all over the city.
The Liberal Arts Programme hosted its first Undergraduate Research Conference. The department screened over 80 research papers submitted by young researchers from across Sindh out of which 14 were selected to present at the conference.
After the success of last year’s inter-departmental workshop on Production Design, the Department of Interior Design is hosting a second round for the IVS student community. Like last year, this was a 3-week long evening workshop where students from Architecture, Interior Design, Fine Art, Communication Design, Textile Design and Fashion Design worked alongside to build a physical space around a narrative.
They have had to step out of their studios and invest time and energy developing a project that is not credited nor has a grade attached to it. Their sheer interest in this hands-on exercise and the desire to work in an interdisciplinary space is what is driving them. These students have drawn together, built together and dreamt together.
The workshop was led by Production Designer Aarij Hashimi and Assistant Director, Ariaana Khan. The workshop concludes on Friday, the 8th of March. Join us for the final review to be held from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors and moderated discussion panel from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm at the Mir Khalil ur Rahman Studio (Sound Room). The panel will be moderated by Aarij Hashimi and will consist of Ayesha Omar, Deepak Perwani, Nabil Hasan, Saqib Malik and Tanya Mirza.
We’re hosting a talk titled “Imagining Forward” led by Ellen W. Kaplan, Professor Emerita of Theatre at Smith College. Ellen’s a US-based, Senior Fulbright Specialist, and a respected actor, playwright, and writer.
She brings decades of experience in exploring the intersections of performance, creativity, and how theatre can be an agent for healing. Collaborating with local artists and activists in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan, she facilitated transformative theatrical experiences that confronted pressing social issues.
We invite all students, alumni, faculty and staff to attend the talk, especially those who love theatre. THE TALK IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
The Cult Club hosted a Q&A session with the cast of Taxali Gate and gained insight on making high-quality films with an ensemble cast on a tight budget.
The Foundation Programme hosted the first LB talk this Spring. The LB is a series of thoughtfully curated conversations in an informal setting. Eibne Sajjad and his two children Naiel and Sasha will be in conversation with each other. Through dialogue and knowledge-sharing, the speakers and listeners will have an opportunity to reflect on their own concepts, methods, and practical experiences in the context of sustainability.
IVS hosted a Red Bull: Off the Roof concert featuring Bayaan, and Hassaan & Roshan. IVS was Red Bull's first stop in Karachi as it tours campuses across the country.
The concert was opened to the public and was attended by 1600 people.
A big thank you to Team Wakhri for taking the time out to come on campus and speaking to students and faculty about their film and the process of making it.
The
Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture (IVS) held its 30th convocation on
Saturday and awarded degrees to over 160 students graduated in various
disciplines.
The
convocation marked a major milestone for the IVS as it celebrated the
accomplishments of its 30th graduating batch, said a press release issued here.
This
year’s graduating class consisted of 159 undergraduate students as well as
three students from the very first batch of the MPhil in Art and Design
programme.
Degrees
were conferred upon 20 students from Architecture, 17 from Interior Design, 22
from Fine Art, 53 from Communication Design, 23 from Textile Design and 24 from
Fashion Design.
To
commemorate the occasion, IVS brought back its founding members, the first
members of the Board and faculty, and graduates from its very first batch.
In
her welcome address, IVS Executive Director and Dean Dr Faiza Mushtaq mentioned
the recognition that IVS alumni had been receiving nationally and
internationally.
Keynote
speeches were delivered by Noorjehan Bilgrami, a renowned visual artist,
designer and one of the founders of IVS; and singer Bilal Maqsood, one of IVS’s
most celebrated alumni who graduated as part of the first batch of 1994.
Ms
Bilgrami recalled the humble yet hopeful beginnings of IVS when a distinguished
group of architects, artists and designers came together to found the city’s
first institution dedicated to art and design education. She shared how fellow
founding member, Shahid Abdulla, discovered the 100-year-old Nusserwanjee
Building that was famously relocated to Clifton and rebuilt brick by brick.
Bilal
Maqsood reminisced the day of his graduation 30 years ago. He remembered being
overwhelmed by emotions of excitement and anxiety as he waited to be awarded
his degree. He shared that despite coming from a family of artists he faced
resistance when he decided to leave his education in commerce to join an art
school — a story many IVS students will relate to.
Maqsood
urged students to prepare for both success and failure while remaining true to
themselves. He admitted that an artist’s constant reliance on external
validation leads to emotional turmoil, but advised students to remain patient
and wait for their creative calling.
The
convocation was attended by well-wishers of the institution and families of the
graduating class.
The Marium Abdulla Library held the Grand Finale of the Dramatic Reading Sessions.
The finale was packed with a lot of exciting performances including:
Book Fair
Dastangoi
Poetry
Dramatic Reading
Music
Theatre
Guest Performers:
Kiran Siddiqui is an acting graduate from NAPA (2017) who finds her purpose in telling the stories that matter, stories that help her and the audience move towards the possibility of exploring the complex human mind. Siddiqui has acted in numerous theatre productions at NAPA and the Arts Council and most recently performed as the lead in Khoya Hua Aadmi (NAPA) and an original play written and directed by Farhan Alam, titled Ek Yaad (Pakistan Theatre Festival).
Atif Badar is an extremely versatile and talented artist with a wide range of experience from stage, voice-overs, and mini screen to a film ‘Ramchand Pakistani’. He is an acting coach, storyteller, writer, and dubbing artist too. He’s been associated with IVS as an instructor for the Continuing Education Programme for many years and has performed on campus multiple times.
IVS Film Festival: Celebrating the Past,
Present and Future of Pakistani Filmmakers
The Indus Valley School of Art and
Architecture to hold a film festival showcasing young talent
The
Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture (IVS) hosted a first-of-its-kind
educational Film Festival in Pakistan. The objective of the IVS Film Festival
(IVSFF) was to inspire, educate and empower the upcoming generation of
potential filmmakers by immersing them in the process of moviemaking and
exposing them to the inner workings of film production.
IVSFF
sought to leverage the new-found momentum in the Pakistani film industry
brought on by a new crop of filmmakers eager to explore novel themes and
experiment with diverse styles of storytelling. Through the festival, IVS brought
together existing members of the film community, film educators, and emerging
and aspiring filmmakers to exhibit, share, and exchange ideas and methods of
filmmaking.
IVSFF
consisted of four main components: an idea-to-screen bootcamp (a 4-day course
for A-levels/intermediate students), workshops, film screenings, and panel
discussions.
Over
250 short films were submitted by young Pakistani filmmakers and 40 were
selected for participation in the festival after a rigorous selection process.
From social commentary to dark humor, these short films covered a wide range of
genres and told stories that aren’t typically shown in the mainstream media. Film
screenings were held for audiences on September 16 and September 17. An
esteemed jury made up of filmmakers Mehreen Jabbar, Aisha Gazdar and Syed
Hisham Hasan has judged the submissions in various categories. The top films were
presented awards and cash prizes at the closing ceremony scheduled on the 17th of
September.
The
film workshops provided young artists and film enthusiasts a rare opportunity
to learn From the best talent in the field. Led by film industry giants like
Rana Kamran, Nabeel Qureshi and Naveed Arshad, these workshops are designed to
engage participants with practical exercises and give insights into the
technical side of filmmaking. There are workshops on Cinematography, Direction,
Production Design, Sound Design, Production of Short Films, Color Grading and
Post Production. They ran on the 16th and 17th of
September.
Each
day of the film festival concluded with a riveting panel discussion comprising
of industry bigwigs, filmmakers and academicians. Panelists include Oscar and
Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker Haya Fatima Iqbal, Saim Sadiq
(director of Joyland), Gul Zaib Shakeel (co-writer of Lal Kabootar), Iram
Parveen Bilal (director of I’ll Meet You There), Fizza Ali Meerza (producer of
Na Maloom Afraad), Badar Ikram (producer, HUM Films), Nina Kashif (writer and
producer on Tapmad), and Satish Anand (Chairman, Eveready Group of Companies). Arbab
Hussain (filmmaker and academic), Khaula Jamil (documentary photojournalist and
filmmaker) and Fifi Haroon (producer and journalist) are moderating the panels.
KOEL Gallery held an exhibition by the first graduates of M.Phil. in Art & Design, IVS, on August 22, 5:00 - 8:00 pm.
The Marium Abdulla Library held Part 1 of its Dramatic Reading Series featuring Zarqa Naz as the Guest Reader.
IVS hosted Open Day 2023 for prospective students and their friends and families.
The event was about creating games from anything (literally anything)! It can be a card game or it can be a board game, it can even be a cleaning game. There were no rules whatsoever, except for one: No programming and no arts were involved. Participants used their imagination and objects required to make a game, develop a set of rules/gameplay and make sure it is fun to play.
The opening night of: Kaghazi Kashtiyan (paper boats): The Pakistani Bengali Story, on Thursday 18th May from 5pm at IVS, with a special performance at 6.45pm from the Khel Gymnastics National Champions. =
The show opened a window to the experiences of the Pakistani Bengali community living in Karachi. It is part of the Partition of Identity project, a cross university collaboration between University College London, UK and LUMS.
IVS was a Project Partner in the study.
Session 2 of the Building Foundations series by the Foundation Programme took place on 11 May 2023 at 4PM at Mir Khalil ur Rahman Studio.
The alumni returned to the campus that they once knew as their second home. They rekindled old friendships and reconnected with the mentors who set them on their creative paths at a time when pursuing the arts was still considered risky.
Special guests for the evening included Shahid Abdulla, Nighat Mir and Shahab Ghani. The event was attended by IVS alumni who are prominent architects like Noman Faruqi, Anwer Ali Quettawala, Ramiz Baig, and Ahmed Mian. Founder and CEO of Khaadi, Shamoon Sultan and Creative Head Saira Shamoon were also present alongside scores of Khaadi employees — all graduates from IVS. Actors Sarwat Gilani and Zehra Nawab, filmmakers Umer Adil and Babar Sheikh, Sadia Qutubuddin and Zehra Zaidi from the advertising world, and CEO of the IBL Group that includes Habitt, Munis Abdullah, were among those present. As Sarwat Gilani enthused, “It was absolutely amazing to meet everyone, see them doing so well and vibing as one community. This night was epic and we will remember it forever. Thank you Indus Valley School for giving us these wonderful memories so we can cherish the best days of our lives together”.
Bilal Maqsood, a graduate of IVS"s first class (1994) performed his melodious hits for the crowd.
Mehmooda has a bachelor degree in Architecture Design from the National College of Arts Lahore, and a joint M.sc in Regional Planning Development and Management from Technical University of Dortmund, Germany and University of Austral Chile. She has conducted research consulting for the Ministry of Urbanism on Morphological Urban Form in Chile. She has both researched and worked on projects related to socio-spatial community development, with a focus on housing, habitat and habitability in Pakistan, Nepal and Chile. She has participated in conferences that focus on inclusive, transformative and adaptive planning procedures. Mehmooda’s current research involves assessing the quality of life through a quali-quant approach, of migrant populations from various ethnic backgrounds in informal settlements of Karachi, which is part of the larger project Access to Justice & HRs for development and resilience of informal urban communities. She has been published in the academic journal Revista de Urbanismo.
Ira Kazi’s practice intersects between urbanism and landscape design. At the core of her work are values of participatory action for community development. Her research seeks to understand design issues and create methodologies for developing and maintaining green open breathable spaces in an otherwise concrete jungle. While working in New York for Dadras Architects, she worked on revitalizing various public spaces and streets.
Durreshahwar Alvi currently pursues her interest in transdisciplinary knowledge and research to document, understand and bridge the gap between the biosphere and human development. Her area of focus within this is urban land management and development to work towards increasing the biodiversity of cities. Durreshahwar’s work has been exhibited internationally as a member of the design team of the National Pavilion of Pakistan at the Biennale Architettura, La Biennale di Venezia, 2018.
Zohaib Zuby has an interdisciplinary background in philosophy and architecture. He later specialized in Wittgenstein Studies when completing his post-graduate study in Muslim Cultures, from the Aga Khan University, ISMC from London. He has pioneered philosophy for children (P4C) in Pakistan at The Learning Tree School and continues to teach philosophical programs at various institutions, including Islamic Reformism since 1857; Neoliberalism, Globalization, and Post-Coloniality. Zohaib’s research and practice currently centers around Affordable Housing, focusing on customized interventions to assist the low income, and has most recently completed Wallah’s House and Fauzia’s House in Karachi, Pakistan.
Arif
is a practicing architect based in Karachi, Pakistan. After completing his
studies, he worked for a number of years in the United States before returning
to Pakistan in 1998. His practice, Arif Belgaumi Architects, brings nearly
three decades of diverse architectural experience gained in the United States
and Pakistan, to a practice grounded in the regional and cultural context of
Pakistan. The firm has a diverse portfolio of works consisting of residential,
commercial, educational and diplomatic buildings.
Arif
has taught, off and on since 1999, as an adjunct faculty member in the
Department of Architecture at IVS . He has also taught architectural theory at
Karachi University. He has an enduring interest in architectural education and
professional practice and has served on numerous professional panels, both
locally as well as at international forums.
Arif has wide ranging interests which inform his
work. He is active in promoting environmental issues and urban design. He has
written and spoken on many occasions about the destruction of the natural
environment and the need for green and sustainable development in urban areas.
Arif has been a pioneer in the promotion of recreational cycling in Karachi and
has helped in the recent revival of the sport.
Hina Pasha is an architect, with a specific interest in
residential planning and interior design. She has been associated with the IVS
faculty for over a decade, teaching a wide range of subjects from theories,
analysis, to currently, history. She has also taught Design Studio and a course
related to energy and environment at Karachi University.
Hina Pasha has been a long-standing advocate of sustainable practices in her field, examining material suitability and formal responsiveness, while investigating indigenous culture, flora, and methods of recycling and reuse.
She is currently also working on a small project in Shigar, GB Province, with an effort to renew and develop older building practices from the region.
Hina Pasha has worked in the underdeveloped areas of the city, while on project with an NGO developing medical facilities.
She has a love for things local, craft-based, and eclectic, and is learning to play the sitar, while raising a family.
Mohammad Daniyal Tariq is an architect
and computational designer. His work is deeply rooted in exploring the
environmental crisis and speculating alternative narratives, often drawing
inspiration from science fiction. His experience has inspired him to pursue a
design dictated by evidence.
Daniyal’ work is driven by a desire to explore and promote design that is driven by evidence which has led him to integrate Artificial Intelligence and data science into the process. Working towards developing tools and techniques that could help design more sustainably. His other interest lies in investigating system design and architecture for extreme environments.
Daniyal has worked with the Architects studio Tariq hussan for the last 5 years working on mainly low cost housing, high rises and urban planning.
With over 20 years of professional experience across Fine Art, Photography, Film, Illustration and Interior Design, Nomaan brings a rich, multi-disciplinary approach to his creative practice. A Fine Arts graduate with a Master's in Filmmaking from Kingston University, London, Nomaan’s expertise spans photography, set design, script writing, 2D/3D animation, editing, cinematography, and direction.
Nomaan’s work reflects his deep understanding of various mediums and his ability to seamlessly blend them, resulting in compelling visual narratives. His work has been part of multiple national exhibitions, and his photography has been published both locally and internationally.
‘Evolving Selves’ delves into the unseen shifts of human behavior, shaped by our social surroundings. Through reflections, layers, and surreal compositions, the series explores the fluidity of identity, group dynamics, and subconscious motivations—drawing from psychoanalytic theory, cultural psychology, and existential philosophy. Each image is a visual dialogue between the masks we wear and the forces that shape who we are.
The show remains open daily until Tuesday October 22nd 2024, from 11am – 7pm (excluding Sunday)
We look forward to seeing you there.
Abdul Hannan will be live in concert at IVS on the 26th of October.
Sana Naqvi is pursuing her M.Phil. in Textile Design from Indus Valley School and is also a staff member, working with the Academic Administration. Prior to joining IVS, she has worked with Indus University as a faculty and programme coordinator. Sana also has a direct industry experience of over 5 years working with Gul Ahmed Textiles, Nippon Paints amongst others. She has a Bachelors in Textile Design from Karachi University with a major in printed textiles and mixed media. Exploration and discovery are a big part of Sana’s design process, and typically, she works with mix of natural media – pencil, ink, gouache or watercolor along with digital design software and apps. With this blend, she takes a design to final production stage.
Mahwish Ghulam Rasool is a permanent faculty at the Department of Interior Design, Indus Valley School (IVS) since 2014. She also served as the Head of Department, and is currently the Lead Facilitator of IVS-CEP Six-Month Diploma Course in Interior Design and Décor. Mahwish has done B.Arch and M.Arch from NED University of Engineering and Technology’s Department of Architecture and Planning. Prior to joining full-time teaching, she primarily worked with corporate sector entities such as Habbit and Design Impact International. [br]Mahwish is passionate about teaching but more about the scope and expanse of Interior Designing in Pakistan and globally. She believes sky is the limit, both for growth of the field and professional learning. She commands respect amongst her contemporaries and fellow ID professionals with her immense creative agility, practical knowledge and experience. And from course participants, she demands full commitment and dedication to the assignment. She enjoys the reputation of a task master while being an empathetic and supportive mentor to those who want to learn and excel. Studying with her is as much a privilege as it is a treat, and the outcome is almost always awe-inspiring!
Khalid Anwar is a veteran when it comes to drawing and illustration. He has been teaching at IVS for 13 years taking diploma and short courses as well as in undergraduate programme. He has done illustrations for a number of publishing houses, having long-standing association with Oxford University Press and Dawn. He has the unique distinction of engaging persons with learning difficulties in his art classes, especially those with hearing impairment as he is adept at using sign language.
Mohammed Kashif Khan a known name in the art circle of Karachi given his immense contribution in art education focused on Islamic Art, Illumination and Calligraphy. Having established Sareerul Qalam academy to promote calligraphy, Ustad Kashif continues to teach at Department of Visual Studies, Karachi University, Arts Council, IVS and is recently co-teaching a course at Habib University as well. In calligraphy he trained under Ustaad Abdul Rauf Dehlavi, pupil of Ustaad Yousuf Dehlavi, the creator of Dehli Nastaliq and the scribe who inscribed all the currency of Pakistan during 1952-1977, including coins and paper currency. He further received training in Sulss under Ustaad Ahmed Madni. Though a few people know, Kashif Sahab started his journey as a water colourist training under Abdul Hayee and Ustaad Rustam. While he has showcased his art nationally and internationally in group and solo shows, he is also a recipient of Sadquain Award for Calligraphy and Watercolours.
Adnan Pardesy is no stranger to Pakistan’s fashion industry. With over 15 years of experience, he is known for his classic cuts, structure of apparel and creative edge. Making his debut in 2007 and showcasing his first collection in 2008 at the Pakistan Fashion Week, Adnan took the industry by storm through sheer creativity and courage to deviate from what was “in demand.” He went on to represent Pakistan in various regional and international platforms in India, Spain, UAE to name a few countries. By virtue of his familial roots in textile business, Andan is one of the very few designers who are well-versed with industrial scale production process, the kind of material and proportions used to create a type of fabric, and running a whole business. Though initially Paredesy’s approach was more geared towards showcasing his talent and creativity, he has matured with time. He now believes in a full amalgamation of creativity, craft and commerce, making full use of his technical training in fashion apparel and design along with the insights into running textile business. He is currently developing his Spring 2023 collection while teaching courses in fashion prograppmes including that of IVS and AIFD, his alma mater.
Ghulam Abbass Soomro is a generational crafts person, who has contemprorized vegetable dying and blockprinting through collaborations with fashion brands like the Pink Tree Company and YBQ. To quote from PinkTree’s homage to Soomro’s family, “the craft of block printing has been running in the Soomro family for centuries, passed on from generation to generation, keeping the beautiful artisan shop alive and flourishing. The family prints ajraks in vegetable and natural dyes.” Abbas Soomro regularly features in all crafts exhibitions such as Daachi, Expo Karachi, etc. He also conducts workshops at National College of Arts and IVS also conducts helping the young students appreciate the whole process of vegetable dying, inspiring them to keep the tradition alive.
Amina Tanvir is an IVS graduate in Communication and Design, Class of 1998. After completing her B. Design, she became the creative lead for setting up Art Mandi, an exclusive platform for selling artwork and souvineers. Amina has been working as an art teacher in various O and A level schools of Karachi, currently being associated with Nixor College. She is a certified O-Level Art Teacher from Cambridge Assessment International Education. Amina curated this course on Digital Arts suitable for multi-generational audience during the unprecedented times of COVID-19 anxiety and uncertaintly. Course participants found it to be a particularly useful way of managing their stress and curbing the anxieties.
Saad Mughal is a well diversified entrepreneur who started his journey from the corporate world. He is an alumni of IoBM who has worked with Unilever, TRG and Suno FM 89.4 in different capacities. Soon he realized that developing businesses is the only way forward in this ever changing economy. He stepped into E-Commerce and established himself as a major player in his domain for the past 5 years. A master at his craft, he has also ventured into different business projects to uplift the local economy. Sarah Amin became an auditor by profession specializing in the audit area of the banking sector. ACCA qualified, she has a keen mind with lots of creative ideas which she implemented while working with KPMG. She stepped into entrepreneurship and proved her metal yet again. Someone who truly knows how to connect with people, she holds an immense position of respect and love among hundreds of entrepreneurs globally. A true travel enthusiast and brilliant strategist, she has a strong vision to better the local economy to completely new heights.
Syed Hasan Haider is a Documentary Filmmaker, photographer, Multimedia Journalist from Karachi. He has a bachelors in Film and Television from National College of Arts (NCA), Lahore and a Masters in Journalism from Centre of Excellence in Journalism from Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi. His Work revolves around social issues, Human rights, culture, climate change, religion and arts. After graduating from the National College of Arts in 2012, he joined Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy Films (SOC Films) in Karachi as an associate producer and sound engineer. He was part of the team for the Oscar winning documentary Short A Girl In the River: The Price of Forgiveness. During his time at SOC Films, Hasan has also worked on community engagement accompanying films. His journalism has been published on platforms such as BBC World Service, DW Urdu, Independent Urdu, Sujag.org, The Express Tribune and The Quint. His documentary film work has been screened at Film Festivals around the world, including HOT DOCS Documentary Festival (Canada), Thailand International Film Destination Festival (Thailand), and IBDA’A Awards (UAE).
Faraz Haider is the Director/Founder at RevX Media Production, a one-stop media company providing solutions for TV, radio, advertising, film, music and design and working with local and international clients to produce commercials, short films and documentaries. Faraz is also a singer, song writer and record producer who affirms his expertise as a filmmaker by producing music videos for his own songs. He was initially a part of the band Andher but launched his career as a solo artist in 2010 and has 3 albums under his name – Andher, Naya Jahan and Playroom.
Mehreen Saleem is an art enthusiast and an entrepreneur. She started experimenting with resin art as a hobby few years back, but very soon, it became her passion, niche and artistic expression. She has learned Geode technique on her own, and is one of the few people in Karachi who specialize in it. Although resin art is very expensive with precious gemstones often used, Mehreen has successfully created cost effective alternatives making use of common place material.
Shahana Saleem is a young and talented ceramics and glass designer. She is from the first batch of Department of Visual Studies, Karachi University, specializing in Ceramics and Glass Design. After acquiring her degree in 2019, Shahana has been actively engaged in design and sculpture, establishing her name and expertise in the ceramic art. She runs a small business with the label Schana Ceramics, conducts clay workshops periodically, and has recently taught a semester to undergraduate art students at her alma mater. Shahana’s design theory is minimalistic and contemporary combined with classical intricacy and finesse. She is an avid fan of history, fiction, sci-fi, astrophysics while being an ardent observer of cultures. These influences inspire her and manifest themselves in her signature work.
Salman is currently working as the E-commerce & Strategy Lead at Hilal Foods. With over 10 years of experience of revenue focused, his client list is impressive with names like Pfizer, Igloo, Amreli Steels, The Educators, Dollar Pencils, and Hobnobs, to name a few. Salman is keen to share his on-the-job learning and insight with young students and thus takes out time to offer short courses on a regular basis.
Anousha Hashmi is a professional interior designer. She specializes in AutoCAD, 3DsMax, Sketchup-Enscape, Lumion, Revit and sketching. Her vast knowledge of rendering software enables her to make produce detailed plans and designs that support her practice as an interior designer.
Sadia Kausar is an expert in the design field with extensive experience of working with top industry brands such Khaadi, Gul Ahmed, and Sana Safinaz. She is an alumnus of, and permanent faculty at Department of Textile, IVS. Previously, she has also taught at AIFD and Textile Department. She has strong academic and professional education background from Pakistan and the USA. Over a span of fifteen years, she has demonstrated a strong history of working in the textile and apparel industries. Highly skilled in surface patterning and design intervention, Sadia has worked with many local and international brands. Her fine workmanship and creative concepts bring new dimensions to both personal branding and commercial design.
With a bachelors and master’s degree in Interior Design from Visual Studies Department of Karachi University and Florence Design Academy, Italy, Erum has a rich repertoire of insights, skills and practical experience in visual merchandising, product and industrial design. Currently associated with Celeste Home Fashion – Master Moltyfoam, Erum has over 10 years’ work experience of creating and setting brand’s design philosophy, themes, trends and products in the retail store. Erum has also taught undergraduate students at Indus University and Karachi University. In her professional career, she regularly trains her team and provides consultation to clients on residential, hospitality and commercial projects.
With his initial academic background in Science, Osama completed his Bachelors in Fine Arts from IVS, Karachi in 2018 with his thesis on Motion Display. The amalgamation of science, art and aesthetics has shaped Osama’s professional expertise as Creative Head, Motion graphics designer, and Light designer. He has extensive experience of working with design houses with clients from Pakistan, Romania, Gulf States and England. Osama regularly teaches and conducts workshops on design elements, animation, and projection mapping. He has also been teaching undergraduate students of IQRA as he believes in a two-way connection between art schools and market players. Osama has also displayed his artwork in top-ranked galleries like Koel and Canvas gallery.
Sadia Kausar is an expert in the design field with extensive experience of working with top industry brands such Khaadi, Sana Safinaz, and Alkaram Textiles. She is an alumnus of, and permanent faculty at Department of Textile, IVS. Previously, she has also taught at A.I.F.D. and T.IP. in the textile department. She has a strong academic and professional education background from Pakistan and the USA. Over a span of fifteen years, she has demonstrated a strong history of working in the textile and apparel industries. Highly skilled in surface patterning and design intervention, Sadia has worked with many local and international brands. Her fine workmanship and creative concepts bring new dimensions to both personal branding and commercial design.
Arif Ansari creates realistic landscapes with watercolour and acrylics. He prefers subtle shades and colours perfecting the realness of his paintings. A graduate of Mashkoor School of Arts with a 4 year diploma in painting, Arif has previously worked as a photographer, production designer and art director. His first solo exhibition was in 2014 and since then there is no looking back as he prolifically paints and exhibits nationaly and internationally in group and solo shows.
Arif is part of a group of watercolourists who visit different part of Pakistan every few months, camp and observe the landscapes. Followng strict discipline and professional conduct, they put up their art work generated from the trip for a group exhibition. Arif believes that the colours of leaves, sky and land can distinguish the different regions of Pakistan, this acumen in observation is clearly depicted in his work. He can be followed on Instagram (Arif.Ansari.75286).
You have been asking for specialized and advanced courses in different mediuns and art forms for a long time – this demand especially came from those who have attended our SDP diploma or Basic Painting short course. We are happy to announce that we would be launching a series of such courses in the coming months.
First in the series is Watercolours Advanced, taught by ace watercolourist Arif Ansari. This course is focused on advancing knowledge and application of watercolours for creating distinct artwork for exhibiting, reproducing or selling. It involves knowledge of colour, texture, perspective, space and other visual elements. Working on landscape, still-life and portraiture drawing, the course participants will learn to select the appropriate content, format and materials to meet the objectives.
This is a NOT to miss opportunity for all those who dabble in painting and want to excel in watercolours!
Mohammed Kashif Khan a known name in the art circle of Karachi given his immense contribution in art education focused on Islamic Art, Illumination and Calligraphy. Having established Sareerul Qalam academy to promote calligraphy, Ustad Kashif continues to teach at Department of Visual Studies, Karachi University, Arts Council, IVS and is recently co-teaching a course at Habib University as well. In calligraphy he trained under Ustaad Abdul Rauf Dehlavi, pupil of Ustaad Yousuf Dehlavi, the creator of Dehli Nastaliq and the scribe who inscribed all the currency of Pakistan during 1952-1977, including coins and paper currency. He further received training in Sulss under Ustaad Ahmed Madni. Though a few people know, Kashif Sahab started his journey as a water colourist training under Abdul Hayee and Ustaad Rustam. While he has showcased his art nationally and internationally in group and solo shows, he is also a recipient of Sadquain Award for Calligraphy and Watercolours.
Dr. Sabir Ahmed is a senior faculty and Head, Department of Mass Communication and Media Studies at Greenwich University. He is also an adjunct faculty at the Communication Design Department of IVS for many years. With his post graduate degree in social media management, Dr. Sabir’s interest in the field is crosscutting where he teaches advertising, communication design, motion graphics, animation, broadcast media and visual communication,
Schahna Saleem is a young and talented ceramics and glass designer. She is from the first batch of Department of Visual Studies, Karachi University, specializing in Ceramics and Glass Design. After acquiring her degree in 2019, Schahna has been actively engaged in designing and sculpture, establishing her name and expertise in the ceramic art. She runs a small business with the label Schahna Ceramics, conducts clay workshops periodically, and has recently taught a semester to undergraduate art students at her alma mater.
Fatima did her undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Houston. She discovered ceramics by going to a family run ceramic studio in Houston, and has been practicing ceramics since then. Her work is primarily symmetrical and decor based. She practices under the Ranai Home, found with Schahana Saleem She is now gravitating towards artists like Akiko Hirai and Lisa Hammond and thus pushing her symmetrical forms towards asymmetry.
Fatima and Schahna run a small but promising set up called Ra’anai Home; they work on formulae, test glazes, wheels and kilns, sampling and perfecting the clay body, safety and durability, and prepping up to launch a full line of earthen ware.
Mr. Imran Ahmed Shirvanee wrote his first play in 1974, and a sequel in 1975, thus establishing clearly his writing credentials at a very tender age. He has spent most of his life as a journalist, though theater is also one of his passions. He has written and directed a number of plays on stage. His work has also been presented out of Pakistan. He has worked for DAWN newspaper, The News International, The Muslim, The Mag Weekly, Geo TV, ARY One World, Express News, and IP News magazine as full timer, and for various other organizations, including PTV, Aaj TV, and Indus TV as a freelancer.. Currently, Imran runs an alternative community media initiative called Beehive; alongside he conducts various trainings and courses on broadcast journalism, creative writing, media production, ethical media for SZABIST, IVS and other media and development outfits.
Maheen Ghauri is not a new name in the field of training, development and career planning. She has recently assumed the position of Dean, Student Affairs at IBA, but back in the 2000s, she also used to teach at and run the IBA Summer School. She has headed the training and development units at Silk Bank and Habib Metropolitan Bank, and was at the core of Office of Career Support and Services at Habib University preparing the first graduating batch to make an impactiful entry in the job market and graduate application acceptance.
Having graduated with an MBA degree from IBA and a Fellowship in Entrepreneurship Education from Babson College, MA, USA, Maheen has 20+ years of extensive experience in organizational/talent development, training and development, strategic partnerships, diversity and inclusion, program development/management, and education management.
She has developed and conducted trainings and created partnerships in South Asian countries (Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Singapore), as well as in USA and Australia.
Ali Abrar is an artist known for his abstract painting, wall murals and most importantly, free mind and soul. With a degree in Visual Arts from National College of Arts, Ali Abrar has over 15 years of teaching experience along with doing his solo and groups shows all over the country. He has also been associated with IVS-CEP for six years, teaching on the 6-month Diploma in Sketching, Drawing and Painting. He is a prolific and disciplined artist, who believes that abstract painting is a liberating experience and so should be tried out at least once in life. He encourages his peers and students to express freely and boldly, not be worry about the outcome, right or wrong or judgements, and tries to live by the same principles.
Muhammad Ali Khan aka Sir Ali is an Adjunct Faculty at IVS Foundation Programme, and prior to that, he has served as the Head of Communication Design Department from 1996- 2018. Sir Ali has a Design from National College of Arts. He has a kaleidoscopic experience of working with various companies across sector helping them reimagine their corporate communication and identity.
Sohail Ahmed has a diploma in Graphics Design from Karachi School of Arts. He teaches illustration and digital drawing to undergraduate students of Textile and Fashion Design at IVS. He also offers workshops on design software and web designing.
Salman is currently working as the E-commerce & Strategy Lead at Hilal Foods. With over 10 years’ experience of revenue focused, his client list is impressive with names like Pfizer, Igloo, Amreli Steels, The Educators, Dollar Pencils, and Hobnobs, to name a few. Salman is keen to share his on-the-job
learning and insight with young students and thus takes out time to offer short courses on a regular basis.
Sohaib Hasan wears multiple hats and when it comes to marketing, has a Midas touch. He is a Google certified marketing professional with 8+ years of award winning experiences for hardcore Brand Management, Digital Marketing, Trade and Corporate Communication with leading brands including Amreli Steels, Kenwood, Homage & TIH. He is the recipient of 2 PAS, 4 Effie & 6 PDA Awards. Teaching is his passion and teaches marketing courses at leading business schools. He is also a LinkedIn trainer with 40,000+ followers.
Muhammad Abrar Khokhar completed his Bachelor Degree in Interior Designing from Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture in 2015. He has 5 years of teaching experience and 7 years field experience. Currently, he serves as an Interior Design lecturer at Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture and as lecturer and thesis advisor at Indus University.
He has conducted workshops at different institutes such as, North City School of Art, SPELT Conference, Sindh Young Leader conference, and University of Karachi. He is also the CEO of an Interior Designing firm, Stylish Rehaish. His main interests include residential home and furniture designing.
With an extensive experience of undergraduate teaching, Sadia Salim is an artist and an educator par excellence. She is revered by her students and peers alike for her wonderful teaching, command of over the subject, detail orientedness, and mosth importantly, ethics of engagement with community, both as an artis and a learner. And with the range of her professional experience, half of the artist community of Pakistan have either studied from her or worked with her.
Saleem is an Associate Professor, Graduate Studies at Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture (IVS), Karachi. She received a B.Des in Ceramics from (IVS), Karachi, and an Ed.M. in Art and Art Education from Columbia University, New York. She is a practicing artist and recipient of the coveted Commonwealth Arts and Crafts Award and Fulbright Scholarship. She has participated in and presented at local and international conferences, residencies and exhibitions.
Nurayah Sheikh Nabi is a practicing visual artist and an art educator. She received her BFA with a distinction in Printmaking and Sculpture from the National College of Arts, Lahore in 1993. Sheikh was awarded an overall distinction for academic excellence and a gold medal for her research & dissertation towards her MA in Art Education from Mariam Dawood School of Visual Art & Design, at the Beaconhouse National University, Lahore – Pakistan. She joined IVS in 2005 and since then has designed and led various student-exchange and community-building projects, teacher-education initiatives and research projects.
Her work is exhibited nationally and in international, group and solo shows. Widely respected by her peers and loved by her students, Nurayah is a distinguished art educator.
Sana Sultan is the owner and founder of FUSE Visual Production House. A company dedicated to the art of photography. Sultan began her career in 2012 by freelancing. In 2014 she landed her first official photography job at OK! Magazine, Pakistan. She later covered the entire winter festive fashion week with her team in 2015 and went on to work for HELLO! Pakistan, GRAZIA, T-edit, and many other publications while carrying on her freelance career as well. She has also acquired a post graduate diploma in Photography from IVS in 2018.
Sultan established FUSE visual production house in 2019, followed by the inauguration of her very own studio in July 2021. Through FUSE visual production house, Sultan has not only focused on her own portfolio but has also educated and developed the knowledge and understanding of photography in the minds of young aspiring photographers through various workshops. Today, Sultan has an impressive list of permanent clients from fashion and entertainment world as she expands her company.
Khurram Khan aka KK is a very familiar name amongst students of Communication Design with his two-decade long run in the academia and industry. He is currently teaching undergraduate students at Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture. Prior to that, he has taught taught courses on Illustration, Storytelling, Sequential Art and Character Design at Karachi University, Habib University, Iqra, PAF KIET, and IVS. He is known for his focus on storytelling as an essential component of illustration and character concept designs. In teaching, he provides the understanding and tools needed to approach illustration critically and explore possibilities based on their personal drives and interests.
With an equally illustrious position in the industry, KK’s clients and work have included Character Designs for animation for National Jams and Peak Freans, Disney Licensed books from the Craft Company, Character Design and world setting for Laster Tag set-ups, Special Effect/Character Makeup for ARY Digital (Loose Talk) and HUM TV amongst others.
Naveed Sadiq was born in Hyderabad, Sindh Pakistan in 1982. He has a BFA with distinction from the National College of Arts, Lahore,in 2006 majoring in Indo Persian Painting.
Sadiq has exhibited in group exhibitions nationally & internationally and has participated and conducted numerous workshops. His solo shows include , Sepia Voyage, Umeed- e-Bahar Rakh, Tamasha Merey Aagey, The Source is One, all at the Koel Art Gallery in Karachi Pakistan and Perpetual Layers at Sanat Gallery and Kajal at O Art Space, Lahore.
In 2017, Sadiq completed his MA with Honours from The Prince’s School of Traditional Arts, London. Sadiq’s thesis research offered thought provoking insights into the timeline and lineage of miniature art practice. This received immense critical acclaim and is part of the permanent collection at the Islamic Art Museum in Malaysia. Sadiq was shortlisted as a finalist for the 2019 Sovereign Asian Art Prize.
More recently, he painted a beautiful historical timeline starting from 7000 BC to 1947 at the Pakistan Pavilion, Dubai Expo2020; where it generated tremendous interest and critical appreciation. He has also resumed teaching at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture in 2022 after a long gap as he was an IVS faculty from 2009-2013 as well. Sadiq lives and works in Karachi.
Shafaq Arshad Awan is a young fashion designer, having graduated from Indus Valley Institute of Art and Architecture with BA Fashion in 2021. She excels in visualizing designs both manually and digitally. Given the world changed with the COVID pandemic when she was in her final stages of academic training, Shafaq developed an acute sense of how to do about communicating your design process remotely. Her internship with the Pink Tree Company also helped her develop business acumen and what it takes to run a clothing company and convert it into a brand. She is now in the final stages of launching her own clothing brand, “Deedun” (a Persian word for Sight/seeing), reflecting her fashion philosophy which is all about self-expression of style preferences.
Khalid Anwar is a veteran when it comes to drawing and illustration. He has been teaching at IVS for 14 years teaching diploma and short course participants as well as in undergraduate programme. He has done illustrations for a number of publishing houses, having long-standing association with Oxford University Press and Dawn. He received his art education from Karachi School of Arts; he works with all mediums while specializing in Oil Painting. He has the unique distinction of engaging persons with learning difficulties in his art classes, especially those with hearing impairment as he is adept at using sign language.
Ayla Hassan Mansoor stepped into the media and advertising industry in 2005 after completing her master’s degree in Mass Communication from Beaconhouse National University, Lahore. Since then, she has worked with big media moguls such as Eye Television Network (Hum TV), Indus TV, Business Plus, TVOne, etc, in both in-front and behind-the-camera roles. This gives her a unique perspective on how to present a news bulletin, take live comments and calls, but also, of developing content, working on production value, ratings and financial feasibility. She decided to share her experience and insights with those wanting to pursue media and TV journalism as their core career, and associated herself with Greenwich University where she taught undergraduate classes as both visiting and permanent faculty from 2009 to 2019. Currently, Ayla is responsible for business development and manages multiple accounts at a digital media and PR agency, Creative Rhythms.
Ambreen Saleh is an international development and communication specialist. She has over two decades of working in the nonprofit and corporate sectors in the areas of communication, fundraising, training and project management. She has a double Masters, the first was in Analysis, Design and Management of Information System from London School of Economics (1998-1999) and second one is in Political Economy of Development, from School of African and Oriental Studies, London (2007-2008).
Ambreen is currently working as a consultant for the Karachi Biennale Trust and helped to implement the city-wide art event i October 2022. Ambreen thoroughly enjoys creative writing - she has authored the book “The Journey” and published a story in Habib University’s Arzu Anthology of Literature III. Ambreen also designed and taught a Creative Writing Course as part of Summer Artrageous 2022 organized by IVS.
Zara has grown up listening to ghazals and classical music. She received her formal training in eastern classical music from Bhopal, India at 16 from the Gundecha brothers of the Dhrupad Academy. Her talent and comprehensive understanding of music were soon recognized by Rohail Hyatt from Coke studio and her journey began as an award-winning singer and composer and an assistant producer for Coke studio season 6 onwards. The training she received under Ustad Akhter Ali Khan had left a huge impact on her due to the purity of emotions with which he taught her the lessons.
Zara had a way to bring innovation in her singing by drawing textures and silhouettes from the leaves in her garden and breaking them into a variety of musical notes. For her, it was a way to create and learn while playing around with objects from nature that inspired her. She strongly believes in the fluidity and flow that a person develops through learning and practice which allows us to navigate between different media. Zara is an adjunct faculty at IVS and has a passion for jewelry design as well.
Ahad Motiwala is an MBA from SZABIST with an experience of more than 6 years in digital marketing. He has been managing several brands from different industries and served as a content strategist, digital PR manager, performance,and paid media manager for brands in the FMCG, Automobile, Banking & Finance, Pharmaceuticals & Educational Sector.
Currently, he is managing digital marketing of Dawlence and has worked with Adcom Leo Burnett and GroupM.
AHAD is passionate about teaching and making people think of marketing their products in a strategic manner.
Farhan Sheikh is no stranger to marketing world with over 20 years of experience in corporate marketing Management, Karachi) and his whole career, spanning over 20 years, is built on Marketing and Sales initiatives, their issues and successes. Presently he is associated with iTecknologi Group of Companies, as their Head of Marketing, and with Salaam Takaful Limited as their Principal Marketing Consultant. His previous assignments include his tenure at TPL Insurance Ltd as their Chief Marketing Officer and Volvo Pakistan, as Head of Marketing for their trucks division.
Farhan started teaching marketing allied courses as visiting faculty at IoBM, Greenwich University, SZABIST in 2013, what started as a passion has now transformed into a mission. Farhan believes in enabling and quipping youth with the right tools and insights collated from his experience in the industry.
Aliya Dittu acquired her degree in textile design with a major in weave by Asian Institute of Fashion Design (AIFD) in 2008. Though she majored in weaving, her entire professional experience is in printing. Immediately after graduation, Aliya joined J. (Junaid Jamshed’s enterprise) and worked on countless prints and design for the next six years. In 2015, as she decided to focus on raising her beautiful children, Aliya switched to academia and joined AIFD, her alma mater, where she has been teaching a number of print courses and supervising thesis students.
Aliya enjoys the creative energy of a buzzing classroom and insists on getting to the details right. Her design inspiration comes by nature, especially flowers, which she likes to fuse and combine with geometrical patterns, also abundant in nature.
Faraz Mateen is a visual artist with over 15 yeaars of experience after aquiring his diploma in Fine Arts from Karachi School of Arts. Mateen worked extensively in experimenting with mediums such as clay, wood, paper, and wire. He chose sculpting as his focus for expressing his voice and dynamic ideas. With an indepth study of the human anatomy and figure, Mateen’s drawing, sculpting and teaching became exemplary and useful for all forms of artistic expression irrespective of the application. Mateen believes that study of human anatomy is central to visualization in fields such as animation, fashion, medicine and of course, fine art. He draws inspiration from nature, flora and fauna and depicts the patterns, perspectives and precision in his work.
Mateen switched from permanent faculty position to visiting faculty to enjoy flexibility on his creative practice. He currently teaches free drawing to foundation year at IVS and is developing a diploma focused on figure drawing in CEP. He also teaches on CEP’s Interior Design diploma and that of Sketching Drawing and Painting.
Swad Chishtie is a Fashion Designer, Entrepreneur, Visual Merchandiser and an Academic instructor. He graduated from the Asian Institute of Fashion Design in 2007 with Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Design and later completed his Master’s Degree in Design Marketing and Merchandising in 2017. He has been associated with the Fashion Industry/Academics for last 15 years.
To gain hands on experience and become a seasoned fashion designer in the future, Swad started working at a contemporary fashion brand called “Ego”. Throughout his career, Swad has worked at top-tier fashion houses and designers like Amir Andan, Red, Fifth Avenue, just to name a few. He was also selected as a designer for Pakistan’s first Fashion Week in 2008.
Swad joined Asian Institute of Fashion Design in 2009 as an adjunct faculty and later found a new love and passion for teaching, continued as a permanent faculty and progressed to become the head of Fashion Department.
Swad has also been affiliated with corporate project such as designing uniforms for the renowned brands like PIA and PSO. He has been associated with Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture since 2018 as Assistant Professor at the Department of Textile Design in the Fashion Design Program.
Aliya Yousuf is a skilled artist with a diverse educational background. She earned her BFA in 2003 and a Postgraduate Diploma in Photography in 2011, both from the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture and Masters in Art Education at Beacon house University in 2020.
Aliya has actively participated in various artist residencies and has showcased her artwork in both group and solo exhibitions across diverse locations such as Pakistan, Canada, South Korea, and the UK. While specializing primarily as a ceramic sculptor, her artistic approach is deeply rooted in a connection with nature. She listens to the voice of the materials she works with, translating their essence into forms that resonate with viewers.
In addition to her focus on ceramic sculpture, Aliya also explores the realm of traditional crafts and materials, including glass, paper, and natural dyes. Her artistic endeavour’s go beyond conventional craft applications, aiming to inspire the new generation by imparting a profound understanding of hand-made characteristics, materials, and the art of craftsmanship.
Aliya Yousuf's work reflects a commitment to expanding the boundaries of traditional crafts, fostering innovation, and encouraging a deeper appreciation for the intricate relationship between materials and the art of creation.
