Askari Mian Irani

Askari Mian Irani was a Pakistani artist and activist who lived in Lahore, Pakistan. His work has been exhibited in art museums and galleries in Pakistan and the United States, as well as Britain, Japan, Jordan, and Switzerland. His paintings are part of the permanent collections at the Asian Collection at Bradford Museum, UK, National Council of the Arts, Pakistan, and the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts, Jordan. The Karachi School of Arts dedicated an Art Gallery to his name. The Askari Mian Irani Art Gallery was inaugurated with a showing of his work and a memorial lecture in March, 2016. A book about the artist by Marcella Nessom Sirhandi entitled Askari Mian Irani: Points of Reference was published by The Foundation of Museum of Modern Art, Pakistan in 2007. His inspiration stemmed from visual images that once were seen daily but are now part of history. In his paintings, the forms and elements he drew upon became seeds for stimulation. The aim was not to capture those images faithfully, but use them as triggers to take him on paths all his own. His work was about discourse with history, about issues of identity and culture. He used dots and brush strokes to create patterns that embodied the geometry and abstraction inherent in traditional Muslim architecture. He also reclaimed overlooked objects of Islamic culture and gave them a new life in his art. He died of natural causes at his home in Lahore, Pakistan on 31 December 2004. He was 64 years old.