Instead, I say that two cultures which are strong and knowledgable can meet each other, not clash with each other.”
Siena, looking to the Eastern world
“In these years, the Siena Art Institute is looking towards the Eastern world. For this reason we chose to invite Imran Qureshi, as he embodies the type of artist with whom we want to collaborate: internationally renowned and representating of the strong values of a culture rooted in the community, as it is also with the Sienese. - stated Miriam Grottanelli, director of SART - With this activity we want to stimulate the public's attention, through art and through and the outsider's point of view of an artist who has came from afar, to discover ourselves, to be analyze ourselves, and to find confirmations. In the end, nothing more than to bring out the task of art and artists."
Imran Qureshi
Imran Qureshi, Pakistani artist, has studied for many years the complex technique of traditional Pakistani miniature painting, developed by Mughal masters from the 16th century. Qureshi, however, interprets this technique with a modern approach.
His recent work often uses pools of paint overlaid with an intricate network of stylized leaves and blossoms, coming from the vocabulary of symbols often used in miniature paintings. He presents the idea of life, beauty and death working together. An undercurrent of hope is strongly felt in the work. At the same time, when you look closely at his work, it becomes poetic as well, showing the possibility of beauty amidst violence. An artist of international repute, Qureshi has exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of New York, at the Barbican in London, at the Sharja Foundation in Dubai, the Agakan Museum in Toronto, and numerous other important venues for contemporary art of global significance. The artist was selected as artist of the year in 2013 by the Deutsche Bank.