The Complete Picture: Archives in Pakistan

Asia Art Archive in America is excited to present a program that delves into gaps within national archives and their impact on Pakistan’s nation-state identity, particularly in relation to Partition histories of the country. Through selected records from the National College of Arts Archive in Lahore, Pakistan, Doa Sarmad Khan, head of the NCA Archive will shed light on issues and topics that are often overlooked within institutional and colonial repositories. Brooklyn-based artist Umber Majeed will present family collections of analog photography as part of her own artistic interventions that explore the Pakistani-American Diaspora and the notion of nation-building.

While exploring alternative sources and interpretations of history, with an emphasis on post-colonial perspectives, this program will also address the challenges unique to South Asian archives, such as bureaucratic hurdles, climate change, and funding issues. Following the presentation, Majeed will join Khan for a conversation to discuss the role of archives in shaping history and the potential for creative interventions to challenge and expand our understanding of the past.