Where the Shadows are so Deep

Contemporary Pakistani painter Imran Qureshi is a master of mixing the sublime with the reality of contemporary life where suicide bombings are a common occurrence and Nike sneakers mix with ancient tribal garb. Playing with scale and the polarities of dark and light, the artist s current series of exquisite miniature paintings demands an altogether different kind of looking. Accompanying the artist's exhibition at the Curve, Barbican, London (2016), this small richly illustrated hardcover catalog, third in the series, focuses on Qureshi's use of miniature painting as a site for social commentary. Drawing upon the curve as a formal motif in the miniature tradition, the installation sequence responds to the dramatic architecture of the gallery space. Hung at varying heights, the delicate paintings begin by depicting gentle scenes of nature and then gradually transform with the addition of darker elements, subtly implying the uncertainty of what lies around the bend. Qureshi's largest installation was recently featured at the Metropolitan Museum of Art s Roof Garden (2013). Essays by Mohsin Hamid and Eleanor Nairne.