Farhat Ali

Farhat Ali’s practice focuses on the reinterpretation of history and popular imagery becoming an institutional critique of the genre of miniature painting. Miniature, being popular in the Pakistani art world, Ali fuses its tradition with the popular culture of home entertainment programs. The flatness of caricatures and miniatures was the inspiring theme that led to these images, which when read; unfold many layers of grief, love, war, passion and fear. Farhat’s works create a link between historic events and cultural characters/figureheads to ideas, notions and the popular culture of our times. Annotations of subtle humour, yet profound seriousness and a commentary on the linking of time between historic events and the concurrent, are hallmarks of his work.

Farhat Ali began his journey as a signboard painter, though encouraged by his mother to see the world through the keen eyes of a professional artist he pursued his studies at the Center of Excellence Art & Design, Jamshoro, and then received his BFA from the National College of Arts, Lahore with distinction. During his 10 years as a painter, he was introduced to a variety of techniques and mediums. He has exhibited widely including a solo show, ‘How Did I At Hare’, Sanat Gallery, Karachi, 2015 and group shows such as Art Mumbai with LATITUDE 28, Mumbai (2023); Delhi Contemporary Art Week with LATITUDE 28, Bikaner House, New Delhi (2023); ‘What Belongs to You’, Sanat Gallery, Karachi, 2016; ‘Memories’, 39K Lahore, 2016, among others. Farhat currently lives and works in Badin Sindh, Pakistan.