BM Bashir Mirza

VM Art Gallery is pleased to present BM: A Selection of Works by Bashir Mirza from VM Art Gallery’s permanent collection. The exhibition will open on Tuesday 12th October 2021 and continue till 30th October 2021, Monday to Saturday, 11am to 7pm.

This exhibition aims to pay homage to the legendary Pakistani painter Bashir Mirza. His distinguished mark making, interesting subject matter and diverse visual language is a testament to his artistic excellence. By showcasing works spanning over decades, the viewer is given an insight into Mirza’s various realms of explorations and techniques.

A socio-politically conscious person, Mirza’s work commented on the dominant political occurrences and the repercussions faced by the people. For example, the ‘War Series’ which highlights the gory nature of war and its infliction of suffering. He went onto create other works commenting on the political sphere and plight of the people such as the “Dawn of Democracy”, which was exhibited in 1989 after the end of Zia Ul Haq’s regime.

Mirza was not only aware of his environment but also absorbed and took influence from his contemporaries. For example, the ‘King Series’, which tends to feature his self-portrait as a king, has the influence of his friend Francis Newton Souza’s mark making. Moreover, being impressed by Masood Kohari’s tile paintings, Mirza too painted on the surface of ceramic tiles. He even went on and made a collaborative painting with his friend and fellow artist Wahab Jaffar. Some of his other well-known works are ‘Portraits of Pakistan’, ‘Lonely Girl Series’ and ‘Save the Margallas’.

Being one of the pioneers of Pakistan’s art scene, Mirza’s artistic finesse lies in the wide array of subjects that he talked about. By viewing his different works, one can have a sense of growth, compassion and dedication throughout his entire oeuvre