The Zahoor ul Akhlaq Gallery at NCA is showcasing “Bleeding Borders” and “Ustad Bashir ud Din- A Restrained Grace”, featuring two separate bodies of works curated by Zohreen Murtaza as part of the 150th anniversary celebrations of the Mayo School of Arts, now the National College of Arts.

The first exhibition honours Ustad Bashir ud Din, an NCA alumnus and teacher from 1953-1982, celebrated for his miniature paintings. It displays forty of his drawings along with archival materials, accompanied by essays from scholars like Mrs Salima Hashmi, Aasim Akhtar, and Zohreen Murtaza.

The second exhibition presents Ustad Bashir ud Din’s son Amin Rehman’s recent project titled, “Bleeding Borders”. A Toronto based artist, exploring the cultural and socio-political dynamics of Pakistan's borderlands with India, Iran, and Afghanistan, whose pieces, inspired by historical trade routes, highlight the struggles of communities on these borders, featuring neon signage and video projections.

The exhibition opened on November 12th in Lahore will travel to Islamabad’s National Art Gallery from December 2nd to 15th, 2024.