KHADIM ALI

b. 1978, Pakistan

Khadim Ali Biography

Born of Afghan Hazara parentage, Khadim Ali grew up on the Pakistan/Afghanistan border. His parents hoped to one day return to their family lands in Bamiyan, Afghanistan. As a child, Ali was deeply influenced by his grandfather, a Shanamah singer, and by the miniature paintings that illustrated the stories of the Shanamah, a tenth-century epic poem.

Ali studied miniature painting at the National College of Arts, Lahore and calligraphy at Tehran University, Iran. The artist’s intricate works encompass imagery from history, politics, literature, poetry and mythology to explore contemporary events such as the civil war in Afghanistan and personal experiences of persecution, displacement and discrimination.

Born 1978, Quetta, Pakistan. Lives and works Quetta and Sydney, New South Wales.

Text courtesy Museum of Contemporary Art Australia

Khadim Ali Pricing / Available Works

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Explore Khadim Ali's Exhibitions

Contemporary art exhibition Group Exhibition Tokyo A La CarteThe Backers Foundation and AIT Residence Programme The BAR Memories of 10 years at ShugoArts Tokyo Japan

Group Exhibition Tokyo A La Carte—The Backers Foundation and AIT Residence Programme (The BAR) Memories of 10 years ShugoArts 24 August–1 September 2018
Tokyo

Representative Artworks

Khadim Ali, Sermon on the Mount (2020). Linen, cotton, nylon, ink, natural dye, synthetic dye, acrylic paint; painting, hand and machine embroidery, appliqué. 557 x 397.5 cm. Collection: National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, purchased 2021. Exhibition view: Invisible Border, Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane (10 April–5 June 2021). Courtesy Institute of Modern Art. Photo: Marc Pricop.
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Khadim Ali, Invisible Border 1 (2020). Acrylic paint and dye, hand and machine embroidery stitched on fabric. 210 x 900 cm. Collection: Sharjah Art Foundation. Exhibition view: Invisible Border, Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane (10 April–5 June 2021). Courtesy Institute of Modern Art. Photo: Marc Pricop.
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Khadim Ali, Invisible Border 4 (2020). Hand and machine embroidered, stitched and dye ink on fabric. 300 x 220 cm.Collection of the artist. Exhibition view: Invisible Border, Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane (10 April–5 June 2021). Courtesy Institute of Modern Art. Photo: Marc Pricop.
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Khadim Ali, Invisible Border I (2020) (detail). Hand and machine embroidered, stitched and dye ink on fabric. 291 x 265 cm. Collection: Kiran Nadar Museum of Art. Exhibition view: Invisible Border, Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane (10 April–5 June 2021). Courtesy Institute of Modern Art. Photo: Marc Pricop.
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Khadim Ali, The other gods and goddesses (2020). 359 x 136 cm. Machine and hand embroidery and dye ink on fabric. Courtesy Latitude 28.
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Khadim Ali in collaboration with Sher Ali, Urbicide 2 (2020). 11-channel sound: steel, metal, gold leaf; nylon thread on machine, woven rug, dimensions variable. Collection of the artist. Exhibition view: Invisible Border, Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane (10 April–5 June 2021). Courtesy Institute of Modern Art. Photo: Marc Pricop.
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Khadim Ali, Untitled 1 (from 'Sermon on the Mount' series) (2020). Gouache, ink, and gold leaf on paper. 250 x 140 cm. Collection of the artist. Exhibition view: Invisible Border, Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane (10 April–5 June 2021). Courtesy Institute of Modern Art. Photo: Marc Pricop.
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Khadim Ali, Invisible Border I (2020) (detail). Hand and machine embroidered, stitched and dye ink on fabric. 291 x 265 cm. Collection: Kiran Nadar Museum of Art. Photo: Marc Pricop.
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Khadim Ali in Ocula Magazine

News / Exhibitions More Than 40 Asia Pacific Artists Are Taking Over London’s V&A Zian Chen Announced today and opening in May, the show will present the work of more than 40 artists from 25 countries across the region.

Conversation Khadim Ali's Invisible Border Expands Tradition Liz Nowell Khadim Ali discusses his latest body of work on view at Brisbane’s Institute of Modern Arts, encompassing large‑scale tapestries that reflect on the impacts of war and the normalisation of violence.

Spotlight Resilience and Reconnection at Delhi Contemporary Art Week Dilpreet Bhullar The fourth edition of Delhi Contemporary Art Week opened at Bikaner House with seven participating galleries from across New Delhi.

Conversation Zoe Butt on the Challenges and Rewards of Curating Maria Nicolacopoulou From her post as artistic director of The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre, Vietnam’s first purpose‑built space for contemporary art, to her co‑curation of Sharjah Biennial 14 (7 March–10 June 2019), Zoe Butt discusses the challenges and rewards of her curatorial trajectory so far.

Spotlight Sharjah Biennial 14: Leaving the Echo Chamber Stephanie Bailey Sharjah Biennial 14: Leaving the Echo Chamber (7 March–10 June 2019) features over 80 artists and more than 60 new commissions in three exhibitions, each organised by a different curator: Zoe Butt, Omar Kholeif, and Claire Tancons.

Conversation Amna Naqvi Susan Acret Art and culture are susceptible to the rampant global homogenisation that is occurring today, and we felt that there were ideas, philosophies, voices and opinions that needed to be discovered and explored.

Conversation S. Alice Mong Our mission is not just about art, but also to teach Asians about each other through art, through public programming and other mediums.

Conversation June Yap on Curating Beyond Borders Anna Dickie The curator discusses nation, representation, and reciprocity in the inaugural Guggenheim UBS MAP exhibition for South and Southeast Asia.

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