Visual practitioner and contemporary miniaturist Wardha Shabbir, born in 1987, is based in the city of Lahore Pakistan. She graduated from the prestigious National College of Arts, (NCA), Lahore, with her Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts (BFA Hons.), receiving Honours, in 2011, where she also merited the Principal’s Honour Award. During her academic career at NCA, Shabbir was awarded numerous scholarships and grants as well as being selected for an exchange programme in Paris, with the Ecole des Beaux Arts, (2006-‘10). Additionally, she received the best young artist Award from Al Hamra Gallery, Lahore, in 2011. She is also an educationist, having taught at her alma mater since 2013 where she also served as a Visiting Assistant Professor till 2021.
Since graduating, Shabbir has exhibited widely on national and international platforms. She was the first artist from Pakistan selected for FLACC Belgium, where she initiated a research-based experiment on the human sensorium while transforming a two-dimensional miniature painting into a three-dimensional interactive environment. In 2016, she participated in the Summer Intensive Programme at the Slade School Of Fine Arts, London. In addition, Shabbir has exhibited at DAS (Dhaka Art Summit)-2014, Scope (Basel), Contemporary Istanbul-2011, Abu Dhabi Art Fair, 2020, Indian Art Fair (2012 & 2019, 2022), Artissima 2021- Italy, Art Dubai 2022– Solo Booth (Bawwaba Section), as well as numerous group exhibits in the world.
Her solo exhibitions include “If A Tree Could Wander” Alhamra Arts Centre, Public Institution in Lahore, Pakistan, “The Water You Seek” 2022 at Grosvenor Gallery London, “Green Matter” at Canvas Gallery, Karachi 2021; ‘In a Free State’ at Grosvenor Gallery, London, 2019; “The Space Within” at Canvas Gallery, Karachi, 2018; “Of Trees and Other Beings” at Rohtas II, Lahore, 2016; and “Many Metamorphoses “at Rohtas II, Lahore, 2012. Shabbir was among the finalists for the esteemed Jameel Prize 5 (2018), Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), London where her work was exhibited, and travelled to other venues, including the Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai in 2019.
She has been invited as a Panelist at various platforms including the FLF (Faisalabad Literature Festival) 2022, LLF (Lahore Literary Festival),2023 and Art Basel Hong Kong ; A Conversation On Ink and Miniaturism 2023.
Shabbir has also given workshop and lectures on Miniature Painting at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) 2018, London UK, Master Class on Miniature Painting at Art Abu Dhabi 2021, Workshop on the Introduction of Miniature Painting at MISK Institute , Riyadh, Saudi Arab, 2023.
She has been nominated twice for the Sovereign Art Prize, (2019 and 2020.) Shabbir’s work is in well-reputed private and corporate collections in Switzerland, Berlin, Dubai, Abu Dhabi ,India. As well as various prominent collections in Pakistan, India, UK, USA and Canada. Her work has been acquired by the British Museum, UK and Kiran Nadar Museum, India in 2023.
Education
2011
Bachelors of Fine Arts. National College of Arts. Lahore.
2007
Six months Semester in Fashion Design. Pakistan Institute of Fashion & Design. Lahore.
Solo show
2022
The Water You Seek. Grosvenor Gallery. London, UK.
2021
Green Matter. Canvas Gallery. Karachi, Pakistan
2020
Lahore Literary Festival. Al- Hamra Art Complex. Curated by Asad Hayee. Lahore, Pakistan.
2019
In A Free State. Grosvenor Gallery. London, UK.
2018
Solo Show, Canvas Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan
2018
Way To Paradise. Lahore Biennale Foundation. Bagh-e-Jinnah and Lahore, Pakistan.
2012
Solo show. Rohtas-II. Lahore, Pakistan.
Group show
2022
Eve’s 1/Eye. 13 Renowned Female Artist. Tanzara Gallery. Islamabad, Pakistan.
2021
Group show. Fondazione Torino Musei. Turin, Italy.
2021
Re-Examine Re-Trace. Gandhara Art Space. Karachi, Pakistán.
2020
Brand New Ancients. MISK Institute. Curated by Cecelia Rugera and Wassan Al Khudhairi. Riyadh, Saudi Arab.
2020
Tapestry Of Fading Gardens. 1x1 Gallery. Dubai, UAE.
2019
If You Have A Garden In Your Library I. AAN Gandhara Art Space. Karachi, Pakistan.
2018
Jameel Prize 5 Exhibition. Porter Gallery. Final Shortlisted. Victoria & Albert Museum. London, United Kingdom.
2018
Museo Diocesano Carlo Maria Martini. Milan, Italy.
2018
Solitude. Koel Gallery. Curated By Salima Hashmi. Pakistan.
2018
I Too Am, A Part of History. Fakeer Khana Museum. Curated by Zahra Khan. Lahore, Pakistan.
2018
Group Show. Grosvenor Gallery. London, UK.
2018
10 years Anniversary Show. Gallery Threshold. Delhi, India.
2017
Two Person Show, Maps Of Skin And Spirit. Canvas Gallery. Karachi, Pakistan.
2016
Exhibition, Rohtas -2. Lahore, Pakistan.
2016
Narcissist Reborn. Sanat Gallery. Karachi, Pakistan.
2015
Utopia. Jan Kossen Contemporary Art Gallery. NY, USA.
2014
Waxing Lyrical. Chawkandi Art Gallery. Karachi, Pakistan.
2011
CONCH CURVE CREATION. The Drawing Room. Lahore, Pakistan.
2011
DXB UNFRAMED. Dubai, UAE.
2011
Looking through the wider lens. JAN KOSSEN ART. Basel, Switzerland.
2011
Not Just Another Group Show. The Drawing Room. Lahore, Pakistan.
2011
Red hot. Al-Hamra. Lahore, Pakistan.
2011
Pakistan - Una Sinfopnia De Sonidos y Colores. Contemporary Pakistan Art. Buenos Aries, Argentina.
2011
Emerging Talent. VM Gallery. Karachi, Pakistan.
Art fairs
2023
Art SG- Singapore. Latitude 28 Gallery. Singapore.
2022
Indian Art Fair. Gallery latitude 28. New Delhi, India.
2021
Art Abu Dhabi. Grosvenor Gallery. Abu Dhabi, UEA.
2021
Artissima. Gallery Latitude 28. Turin, Italy.
2020
Art Dubai. Bawwaba Section Curated by Nancy Adajania. Canvas Gallery of Karachi. Dubai, UEA.
2020
Art Dubai. Grosvenor Gallery. Dubai, UAE.
2020
Art Dubai - IN London. Geometry And Minimalism. Grosvenor Gallery.
2020
Abu Dhabi Art Fair. 1x1 Gallery. Abu Dhabi, UAE.
2019
Indian Art fair. Gallery 1x1. New Delhi, India.
2012
Indian Art fair. The Drawing room. New Delhi, India.
Awards
2020
Nominated For Soveriegn Asian Art Prize, 2020
2019
Honorable Mention at ADA Awards 2018-19, Category 2D art works
2018
Nominated For Soveriegn Asian Art Prize, 2019
2018
Selected as a Finalist of Jameel Art Prize 2018, Victoria And Albert Museum, London, UK
2016
Nominated For Jameel Art Prize 2018, Victoria And Albert Museum,
2016
Shortlisted for the 4th International Emerging Artist Award, Dubai
2011
Principal’s Honour Award recipient as an outstanding student to continuously score the highest in all 4 years of Academic Bachelor’s Degree Program
2010
Honors in NCA Degree Show, (Final Year Project show) 2010
2006
Winner – Young Artists Exhibition, Al- Hamra Lahore Arts Council, Lahore, Pakistan
Residencies
2013
FLACC Artist’s Residency. Genk, Belgium.
Experience and Workshops
2023
Lecture and Workshop on Miniature Painting from South Asia and its Materials at MISK Institute, Riyadh, Saudi Arab
2021
Workshop on the Practice of Miniature Painting, Art Abu Dhabi
2018
Master Class and Workshop given by Wardha Shabbir at the Victoria & Albert Museum to artists and students, London, UK
2018
Lecture on ‘Miniature Painting’ and Introduction to the most prominent schools along with the collection present at V&A by Wardha Shabbir conducted by Victoria& Albert Museum, London, UK.
2018
Lahore Biennale, Art Speak- Academic Forum, Alhamra Art Center, Lahore, Pakistan