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Lot Essay
This year, Qureshi was recognized with the Deutsche Bank Artist of the Year award for his outstanding oeuvre of works on paper that comment on the relationship between the West and the Islamic world. Qureshi's works will be shown in a major solo exhibition at the Deutsche Bank Kunsthalle in spring 2013.
During the 1980s, Qureshi studied at the National College of Art, Lahore (NCA) under Bashir Ahmad, a student of the last traditional master miniaturists in Pakistan. While at the NCA, Qureshi was involved with the puppet society. The parody that is at the heart of puppetry was a catalyst for the introduction of contemporary themes in his painting and laid the foundation for his witty and socially conscious works. "The Moderate Enlightenment series deals with the socio-political issues that most of the world is currently facing. The works portray religious people carrying out everyday activities, such as exercising, enjoying nature and reading. When viewed in the context of Pakistani society, viewers may read such activities in a very different light...I have deliberately used three colors repeatedly in each of these works: red, white, and blue, inspired by the colors of the American flag." (Artist statement, Hanging Fire, New York, 2009, p. 114)
During the 1980s, Qureshi studied at the National College of Art, Lahore (NCA) under Bashir Ahmad, a student of the last traditional master miniaturists in Pakistan. While at the NCA, Qureshi was involved with the puppet society. The parody that is at the heart of puppetry was a catalyst for the introduction of contemporary themes in his painting and laid the foundation for his witty and socially conscious works. "The Moderate Enlightenment series deals with the socio-political issues that most of the world is currently facing. The works portray religious people carrying out everyday activities, such as exercising, enjoying nature and reading. When viewed in the context of Pakistani society, viewers may read such activities in a very different light...I have deliberately used three colors repeatedly in each of these works: red, white, and blue, inspired by the colors of the American flag." (Artist statement, Hanging Fire, New York, 2009, p. 114)