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.
Amir has taught in multiple institutes of higher education over the last 19 years. He believes design comes naturally to humans and has the power to solve problems beyond communication; one of his passions is to teach design to students who’ve not studied it formally.
Amir’s background in psychology gives him unique insight into students’ motivations and how they learn. The mix of design, technology and psychology has not only made him a more effective professor but also shaped his creative practice; from designing books and magazines to apps and social-emotional learning-based systems for early childhood.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Numera graduated with a Bachelors of Architecture degree in 2012 from NED University of Engineering and Technology. She started working in the field of Architecture and Design and later enrolled herself in the Masters of Architecture program in 2017 from her Alma mater to initiate her career in academia. She became part of the full-time faculty within the Department of Interior Design in 2015 and is currently working as an Assistant Professor. Along with teaching, she is part of a private practice in the capacity of an Architect / Interior Designer as well.
Numera has worked on various administrative committees for the school including the Curriculum Coordination Committee, has been a member of the department’s Search Committee for hiring, the Students Affairs Committee and is also representing the department for the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Quality Enhancement Cell (QEC)
Teaching for her is a process, a reciprocal relationship between the teacher and the student. She feels imparting knowledge to a group of people is only possible when an individual is willing to absorb that knowledge. She is on a continuous outlook for opportunities for growth and development in areas of research and practice which she could extend the learnings towards her classroom.
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.
Burney is a fine artist from Pakistan currently living and working in Preston, UK. She has a MA in Fine Art from the University of Central Lancashire, UK. She has been teaching Basic Design Studio in Foundation Programme at IVS for more than 12 years. She also advises students on research projects and papers as well as on public art projects to help the community around IVS to raise awareness on diverse issues. She has also delivered lectures and taught various courses on Art & Design at different universities and institutions in Karachi, namely SZABIST, Iqra University and University of Karachi.
Burney has been actively writing and researching about art & design and her core areas of study is public art, having published and presented several research papers in Pakistan and abroad. She has done large public art projects within the province and has worked on a group project with Karachi Biennale. Besides this, she has exhibited at several art galleries in Pakistan, including an exhibition at the Canadian Embassy in Islamabad. Recently, she also exhibited her installation works in London as well. Burney's art practice revolves around the themes of colonialism, post-colonial societies, the ideas of feminism and identity. Her practice includes a diverse range of alternative techniques, assemblages and also encompasses traditional and new printmaking methods and experiments.
Tanzeel graduated from IVS in 2004 with a Bachelors in Textile Design. Joined Khaadi in 2005 and worked for 7 years as a Senior Textile Designer. She joined Gul Ahmed in 2011 as Design Team Lead for 3.5 Years. Worked with IBL group to launch Tarzz in 2016.
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.
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
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.
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.
Imrana Shahryar is a Karachi based Academician and Textile Designer with more than two decade of diverse work experience. She has an undergraduate degree in Textile Design (1998) and a Post graduate Diploma in Apparel Design (2011) from IVS and certification in Integrated Course Design from AKU-IED.
She is a multifaceted individual with training as a weaver and a passion for craft and tradition. Since 2001, she has worked in close association with the artisan communities in Pakistan for design and skill enhancement trainings, product development and marketability of crafts and training of master trainers within the communities. She has represented Pakistan at many international forums including The Heimtextil Fair, Frankfurt, Germany, Tex World, Paris and Chengdu Creativity and Design Week in China.
At present, she is the head of the Department of Textile Design having teaching association with IVS for 23 years and has successfully endured the department with progressive academic approach. Over the years she has empowered the department to grow and prosper with enabling new initiatives and building relationships with the textile and fashion industry.
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.
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.
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.
Syed Zain Hasan holds a bachelor’s degree in Interior Architecture and Design from England. Since his return to Pakistan in 2015, he’s worked with DAZ studios and YOCA parallel to his own design practice. His work experience has an interdisciplinary approach enveloping all sectors within the design industry ranging from Architecture / Interior design and Product Design. He spent 5 years in the industry practising his skills on multiple typologies ranging from Residential to Healthcare projects before joining IVS as a Lecturer.
Zain is also an active faculty member for the Continuing Education Programme (CEP) at IVS and has been involved in curriculum development for Advance Diploma in Interior Design.He makes a point to assist the association of interior designers in Pakistan while holding the position of Secretary at Pakistan Institute of Interior Designers (PIID). This includes the revival and awareness of the association and the significance of the maturing discipline in Pakistan.
As an Interior Architect his interest and research in design is derived from the enhancement of technology and the response it develops for the ever-evolving industry.
Tazeen Hussain is an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Communication Design at Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture. She has also served as visiting faculty in the departments of Visual Studies at Karachi University and Media Sciences at Szabist.
As a researcher, Hussain has presented her work at national and international conferences, and published internationally as well.
Her current interests include the re-examination of design education, its conception and evolution in Pakistan, whilst exploring its possibilities as an active contributor to the socio-cultural and political landscape. Towards this, she has designed and initiated a programme titled Critical Design Education and Practice funded by US State Mission Pakistan through the University Partnerships Grants Programs 2020-2023.
She also serves on the Board of Studies for Szabist and Shaheed Allah Buksh Soomro University of Art, Design and Heritages, Jamshoro, Sindh
Hussain has been volunteering her services to archive creative practices in Pakistan, promote social entrepreneurship and sustainable development, using design in education and non-educational contexts.
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.
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.
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.
Initially trained as an architect from the National College of Arts Lahore, Mehmooda Maqsood works in the domain of socio-spatial development practice. Her work and research examine formal and informal development processes, and local communities in remote and peri-urban areas of Pakistan, Nepal, and Chile.
Currently teaching at IVSAA, Mehmooda has previously taught at Karachi University and COMSATS Lahore, where she collaborated with London Metropolitan University in the studio Architecture of Rapid Change and Scarce Resources.
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.
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
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.
Natasha Mukarram is a resident of Karachi and has received her Bachelors of Interior Design from IVS. Previously, having taught Basic Design at her alma mater, for the Foundation Programme, she also taught studio courses for 2nd and 3rd year Interior Design. In Karachi, Natasha has worked on a number of turnkey residential and commercial spaces as an interior designer and a creative head for multiple projects and has showcased visual work for multiple art exhibits, Apart from interior design, Natasha is a professional makeup artist and also creative director of her own brand ‘Creatives & Such’.
At IVS, Natasha has been teaching for more than 7 years. Currently, as Assistant Professor, she teaches 3D Design for Foundation Programme, which encompasses introductions & explorations of form, structure & space. In addition to her teaching practice, Natasha has been involved with the development of novel assignment briefs to constantly re-frame and re-think the curriculum for 3D design and its practices. She has also been a participant of a number of certificate courses that have explored curriculum building, rethinking pedagogical approach to art & design and visual narratives.
Wasim is an intermedial artist whose practice queers space, subverting the frames of development and progress that shape human relationships to the city and nature. His work bears witness to the relentless erasure, violence, and destruction of our times by staying with queer bodies as they hold space and enact desire. He teaches at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture; was on the Editorial Board of Hybrid from 2017 to 2019, and edited its third issue. He graduated with a BFA in Interdisciplinary Sculpture with a concentration in Video and Film Arts, and an MA in Critical Studies from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
His solo and collaborative projects have been shown at sonsbeek20→24: force times distance—on labour and its sonic ecologies, Arnhem (2021); Yokohama Triennale (2020); Dhaka Art Summit (2018 & 2020); Karachi Biennale (2017 & 2019); Kunstraum Niederoesterreich, Vienna (2019); Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery, Haverford College, Pennsylvania (2019); Shrine Empire, New Delhi (2019); International Public Art Festival, Karachi (2019); Rossi & Rossi, London (2018); Gandhara-Art Space, Karachi (2018); Aicon Gallery, New York City (2018); Cairo Video Festival (2017); and CICA Museum, Gimpo (2016).
Zohaib Zuby has an interdisciplinary background in philosophy and architecture. Having graduated as an architect, he worked as a Social Activist for two years after founding Uraan, a youth movement. He later specialized in Wittgenstein Studies when completing his post-graduate study in Muslim Cultures, from the Aga Khan University, ISMC from London. Since his return, he has developed curricula on philosophy and humanities subjects within various levels of education. 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.
He has also co-founded and launched a meditation and mindfulness platform, Be-khudi, which is the first to produce Urdu and English guided meditations; and is working on the design of an MBSR program for low-income schools in Pakistan, with the support of the John Fell Funded Grant.
Zohaib is on a sabbatical from Fall 2022 to Fall 2023.
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.
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.
It's on! We're hosting Basant Mela tomorrow. Join us with your family and friends for an evening of fun! No stags allowed.
Our 3rd Year Architecture students are constructing a flood response model house. The aim of this project is to design a low-cost house that is a suitable response in the face of disasters related to climate change, particularly torrential floods.
Bamboo, Brick block, concrete block, and Adobe/ mud were explored as building materials.
Students were asked to think about how houses can be made flood resistant, and whether it is possible to embrace the seasonal floods that occur every year and minimize damage.
The initial designing took place in the studio; the construction of the prototype is happening at the Sculpture Park.
Klaas De Rycke is a partner at Bollinger + Grohmann, director of the Paris office, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Architecture and Structural Development at the University of Ghent, Belgium. Bollinger + Grohmann's current R&D and practice take inspiration from tacit and implicit knowledge as a driver for the future of design. They put scientific, digital, material and manufacturing knowledge to a wider use and make this know-how explicit.
The talk is an overview of the workflow from conception to execution, between clients, architects, designers and manufacturers, the various toolkits available for research projects, and pedagogy relating to the professional fields.
Jaun Elia has reached the "popularity of a rockstar" in recent years. Loved for his eccentricities, Jaun is perhaps the most quoted poet amongst the youth with an ever-increasing social media presence. The fact that Jaun is appreciated by youth is definitely a cause for celebration given the shrinking sociocultural ecology. The question, however, remains, is Jaun being boxed and reduced by this popularity?
Join us at IVS on Thursday, January 26, 2023 as Peerzada Salman and Shamir Shams unearth the layers of Jaun Elia and his literary contributions to contemporary literature and understanding of society.
Having spent years in Jaun’s company, Shamil Shams has critically appreciated Elia’s poetry like no other. A poet and writer by passion, Shamil Shams is a journalist with global politics and Islamic militarism as his major beat. He coordinates the Asia Desk of Deutsche Welle, Germany’s international broadcaster. Shamil is an alumnus of London School of Economics but considers Karachi University, from where he did his first master's in English Literature, to be a superior place of learning.
Peerzada Salman is a poet, playwright and published author with his first non-fiction book on Karachi’s architectural history was published in 2015. Working with the Daily Dawn as a senior feature writer, Peerzada is an invaluable part of Karachi’s Literary Scene. In 2017, his first collection of poems in English, titled Bemused, was published followed by an Urdu poem collection, Waqt, in 2018, and a short-story collection, Ephemera in 2021. Peerzada was a predecessor of Shamil at the Department of English, Karachi University as he graduated in 1995.
Since then, the two have delved into literary pursuits, conversations and debates. It is a treat to engage with Shamil and Salman as they draw upon the layers of meaning in seemingly simple verses of Jaun while unveiling the cultural, political, historical and literary references.
Artist: Saad Irfan @saadvenomx
A Society Fair was held for students so they can register for societies they like.
We held a special evening screening of the films made by our first graduating batch of Media Design students. The film screening was an extension of this year's Degree Show.
Six short films made by Media Students were screened, including the following:
Saddam by Saleh Ali
Walls WIthin by Nabiha Rehan
Choti Choti Baatein by Zoya Shah
Anjaam by Sumair Farooqui
Inktitaam by Ahmed Umer Khan
A Clay Horse by Abdullah Khan
In addition to these six films, we also screened a short animation by our Graphic Design graduate, Omar Asif.
IVS hosted it's annual Degree Show. We welcomed a couple of thousand visitors during the course of the week. They viewed thesis projects and had the opportunity to interact with the graduating students.
IVS is participated in this year’s Lahooti Melo that took place in Burns Garden.
Our students sold work, and faculty members are conducted workshops.
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.
Soha Macktoom is an architect, urban planner and researcher. Having previously worked with Shahab Ghani and Associates on projects including the TDF Ghar and The MagnifiScience Center, she has been working at the Karachi Urban Lab (KUL) for the last five years as a Senior Research Associate, with a focus on the intersections of architecture, development, displacement and climate change.
Currently teaching at IVSAA and IBA University, Soha has previously taught at NED University and Nazeer Hussain University, with her work published in journals including Urban Studies, City and Economic and Political Weekly (EPW). Her current research explores the ways in which the materiality of the built environment, its architecture and design produces everyday navigations of heat in cities like Karachi. This research is part of a larger multi-disciplinary project “Cool Infrastructures: Life with Heat in the Off-Grid City.”
As an academic, she endeavors to communicate the knowledge and on-ground experience she has gained as a researcher to develop a better understanding of the city and its issues amongst students, leading to informed solutions in their design projects.
Rai Yasir is
Founder/Partner and Principal Architect at COALESCE Design Studio and worked on
numerous Commercial/Residential Architecture, Interior, Product and landscape
design projects. Currently researching and working in the northern areas by
shaping the development in the field of hospitality and tourism.
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.
The Liberal Arts Programme at IVS invites you to the Book Launch of Omar Kasmani's 'Queer Companions: Religion, Public Intimacy, and Saintly Affects in Pakistan'.
Date: Thursday, March 2, 2023
Time: 4-5:30pm
Location: Lecture Hall 4
This event is open to the public. Please bring your CNIC if you are not affiliated with IVS.
About the speaker:
Omar Kasmani is Postdoctoral Research Associate in Social and Cultural Anthropology at Freie Universität Berlin. He is the co-editor of 'Muslim Matter: Photographs, Objects, Essays', and is an IVS alum.
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.
Sadia Salim is an Associate Professor in the graduate programme 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. She has extensive experience of teaching at the undergraduate and graduate level.
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.
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.
