Drawing on both historical and contemporary references, Qureshi works in the space between tradition and experimentation, in a practice that extends to collage and photography. Born in Pakistan, she trained at the National College of Arts in Lahore, where she learnt the painting traditions that had been brought to the Mughal courts from Persia in the 16th century and developed in the region.

This exhibition traces Qureshi’s 30-year career from her early paintings in Lahore, in which she began to reimagine traditional forms, to their zenith beyond the page and into 3D sculpture with a new commissioned installation. It includes the subtle yet powerful suite of paintings for which Qureshi received the Bulgari Art Prize in 2019, which speak to her experience of moving to Australia in 2001 and offer a window into the rich and complex history of Pakistan while bearing witness to the conflicts and consequences of colonialism.

At once beautiful and challenging, Qureshi’s works bear witness to the indelible presence of history and the persistence of trauma, dislocation and loss, coupled with the uncertainties of love. In her meticulously painted vignettes, lonely female figures frequently float among fields of colour, paradoxically inscribed on the page and yet yearning for freedom.

Featuring local and international contributors, the publication that accompanies this exhibition offers a comprehensive exploration of Qureshi’s process, inspirations and significance in contemporary Australian art.