Beaconhouse National University (BNU)

Prof. Salima Hashmi is a distinguished artist, educator, and curator. She was the founding Dean of the Mariam Dawood School of Visual Arts and Design at Beaconhouse National University, Lahore, where she served for 11 years. Prior to that, she taught at the National College of Arts, Lahore, for 30 years, including four years as Principal and Professor of Fine Arts. An acclaimed painter, her works have been exhibited both nationally and internationally. She has authored significant publications, such as Unveiling the Visible: Lives and Works of Women Artists of Pakistan (2002) and The Eye Still Seeks: Contemporary Art of Pakistan (2014). She has also curated prominent exhibitions like “Hanging Fire” at Asia Society Museum, New York (2009), and “This Night-Bitten Dawn” in Delhi (2016). Prof. Hashmi co-founded Rohtas Gallery in Islamabad in 1981 and established Rohtas-2 in Lahore in 2001.

Her contributions have earned her the Pride of Performance award (1999) and numerous international honors, including the Alma Award (2016) and an Honorary Doctorate from Bath Spa University (2016). She was named Professor Emerita at BNU in 2017 and received the Sughra Rababi Lifetime Achievement Award (2024) and the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Lahore Literary Festival (2024). Prof. Hashmi remains a Council member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and continues to influence contemporary art through Rohtas-2 in Lahore.

• M.A (Honours) in Art Education, Rhode Island School of Design, USA
• Certificate in Art Education, Bath Academy of Art, Bristol University, UK
• Intermediate Certificate in Design, National College of Arts, Lahore

• Dean, Mariam Dawood School of Visual Arts and Design, Beaconhouse National University, Lahore (2003–2014)
• Professor of Fine Arts, National College of Arts, Lahore (1994–2000)
• Principal, National College of Arts, Lahore (1994–1998)
• Associate Professor of Fine Arts, National College of Arts, Lahore (1986–1994)
• Assistant Professor of Fine Arts, National College of Arts, Lahore (1976–1986)
• Lecturer in Fine Arts, National College of Arts, Lahore (1970–1976)

• 2024: Sughra Rababi Lifetime Achievement Award in the field of art
• 2024: Lifetime Achievement Award in the field of art, Lahore Literary Festival
• 2019: Lifetime Achievement Award by ADA in the field of art and education, Lahore
• 2017: Professor Emerita, School of Visual Art and Design, Beaconhouse National University, Lahore
• 2016: Honorary Doctorate, Bath Spa University, UK
• 2016: Alma Award, Alma Culture Center, Oslo, Norway, for promotion of tolerance through performance
• 2015: Member Jury of Jerwood Drawing Prize, Jerwood Charitable Foundation, UK
• 2011: Inaugural International Fellow for distinguished service to art and design education, The Australian Council of Art and Design Schools (ACUADS)

• 2022: We Sinful Women, Fugitive Forms: Performance in South Asia, Hyundai Tate Research Center: Transnational, Tate Modern, London, United Kingdom
• 2019: The Meditative Dot, in conversation with Waqas Khan and Alistair Hicks, British Library, Lahore Literary Festival, London, United Kingdom
• 2017: Crafts beyond Ornamentation, exploring South Asian arts and crafts in contemporary contexts, with Ashoke Chatterjee, Adeela Suleman, and Shehnaz Ismail, British Library, Lahore Literary Festival, London, United Kingdom
• 2016: Is Beauty a Bad Word in Contemporary Art? in conversation with Sadanand Menon, India International Center, Raza Foundation, New Delhi, India
• 2015: A Song for This Day: Social Critique in Contemporary Pakistani Art, The Ashoka Crossover Lecture Series, Ashoka University, Haryana, India
• 2015: Traces of Blood: Art and Activism, with Imran Qureshi, USC Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena, California, United States
• 2015: Connecting through Cultures - Presentation on Pakistan, Florence, Italy
• 2014: Resisting Women, seminar, International Association of Women in Radio and Television, India
• 2012: Sanctuary and Defiance – Pluralism within a Mono-Cultural Society, Leadership Advance Round Media Centre, Leeds, United Kingdom
• 2011: Young Women Artists of South Asia: A Unique Experiment, Women of South Asia and Green Economy, SWAN Conference, Dhaka, Bangladesh
• 2010: The Other Side of Madness, conference paper, Cinema against Communalism, National Film Institute, Puné, India
• 2003: Women Artists of Pakistan, Art and Human Rights Conference, Humanities Research Centre, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
• 2002: You’ve Come a Long Way Babe: Women Artists of Pakistan, lecture, Manchester Art Gallery, United Kingdom
• 2002: Unveiling the Visible, Ontario Gallery of Art, Toronto, Canada
• 2000: Through a Glass Darkly: Art and Politics in Pakistan, lecture, Yorkshire Arts, Leeds, United Kingdom
• 1999: Beyond the Future, talk and catalog notes on Pakistani artists, Asia Pacific Triennial, Brisbane, Australia
• 1999: Residency and lectures, Art Departments at Wollongong University, New South Wales, Australia
• 1998: Visit to Art Departments at universities in Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Canberra, Australia
• 1993: UNESCO Conference on Women and Media, Toronto, Canada

• 2024: "...And then came spring", retrospective exhibition, Lahore Literary Festival, Tollinton Wing, National College of Arts, Lahore
• 2024: Olive Branch, group exhibition, Koel Gallery, Karachi
• 2023: Re-Use Re-Work Re-Consider, group exhibition in collaboration with Cowasjee Print Studio, Slaughterhaus Print Studio, and Morley College, Zahoor Ul Akhlaq Gallery, National College of Arts, Lahore
• 2023: In the Thicket, Where the Birds Sing..., group exhibition in collaboration between artists and jewelers (ALIEL) and designer Sheraz Faisal with 18 contemporary Pakistani artists, 1x1 Art Gallery, Dubai
• 2022: Conquering the White Space, group exhibition, Khaas Gallery, Islamabad
• 2020: Tapestry of Fading Gardens - Contemporary Art from Pakistan, group exhibition, 1x1 Art Gallery, Dubai
• 2018: Starting from the Desert - Ecologies on the Edge, 2nd Yinchuan Biennale, curated by Marco Scotini, China
• 2018: Faculty and Alumni Show, Zahoor Ul Akhlaq Gallery, National College of Arts, Lahore
• 2018: Vasl, group exhibition with Farida Batool, Ghulam Mohammad, Shakila Haider, Sheraz Faisal, Wardha Shabbir, and Yasir Waqas, House of Aliel, Lahore
• 2015: Private Mythologies, group exhibition, Satrang Gallery, Islamabad
• 2015: And Nothing but the Truth: PARRHESIA II, group exhibition, Koel Gallery, Karachi
• 2012: Games in the Park Exhibition, collaboration with Asad Hayee, Ayesha Durrani, and Farrukh Adnan, Bradford Museums and Galleries, Bradford, London
• 2012: Ussman Aur Mein, group exhibition, Koel Gallery, Karachi
• 2012: Celebrating Art: 30 Years of Rohtas Gallery, group exhibition, National Art Gallery, Islamabad
• 2012: MEIN - 'The Artist and the Self', group exhibition, Koel Gallery, Karachi
• 2010: Heart Still, solo exhibition, Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore
• 2006: Vasl International Artists’ Workshop, Gadani
• 2005: The Radiant Buddha, Cartwright Hall, Bradford, UK
• 2005: Croweaters Gallery, Lahore
• 2003: Diverse Voices - Contemporary Art from Pakistan, The Omani Society for Fine Arts, Jordan
• 2003: Darmiyaan, group exhibition, Rohtas 2 Gallery, Lahore
• 2002: A Tribute to Ali Imam, Indus Gallery, Karachi
• 2002: Women Artists for Peace, VM Gallery, Karachi
• 2001: The Eye Still Seeks - Contemporary Art from Pakistan, Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Sydney
• 2000: Pakistan: Another Vision, Brunei Gallery, London
• 1998: Chawkandi Gallery, two-person show with Anwar Saeed, Karachi
• 1997: Tribute to Zahoorul Akhlaq, two-person show with Quddus Mirza
• 1997: Rumours of Spring, Lionel Wendt Art Gallery, Colombo
• 1994: Rohtas Gallery, solo exhibition of paintings, Islamabad
• 1994: Contemporary Paintings from Pakistan, Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena, California, USA
• 1994: National Exhibition, National Gallery, Islamabad
• 1993: Printmakers from National College of Arts, American Centre, Lahore
• 1992: Solo Exhibition of Paintings, Chawkandi Art, Karachi
• 1992: Two-person show with Zahoorul Akhlaq, Nairang Gallery, Lahore
• 1991: The True Subject, Pakistan Mission to the UN, solo exhibition of photographs, New York
• 1991: Three-woman show, CCA Gallery, New Delhi
• 1991: Group show, Rohtas Gallery, Islamabad
• 1990: Solo Exhibition of Photographs, East West Centre, Hawaii
• 1990: Graduate Show, Sol Kefler Graduate Gallery, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence
• 1989: Prints, Drawings and Paintings, solo exhibition, Indus Gallery, Karachi
• 1989: Scope IV, faculty show, National College of Arts, Lahore
• 1988: First Pakistan Biennale, Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore
• 1987: Seven Artists from Pakistan, Kunstnersenter, Oslo, Norway
• 1987: Mixed Media Works, solo exhibition, Indesign, Lahore
• 1986: Sixth International Triennial, Delhi, India
• 1984: Punjab Exhibition, Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore

• 2019: “Aad Sach, Jugaad Sach” An exhibition of historic & contemporary Sikh art
  Co-curated with Naazish Ata Ullah, Samina Iqbal, and Asad Hayee
  Venue: Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore
• 2018: “Solitude”
  Group exhibition
  Venue: Koel Gallery, Karachi
• 2018: “Pale Sentinels”
  Group exhibition featuring Indian and Pakistani artists
  Venue: Aicon Gallery, New York, USA
• 2018: Solo exhibition of Basir Mahmood
  Venue: Canvas Gallery, Karachi
• 2018: “Art for Education - Contemporary Artists from Pakistan” Fundraiser exhibition for TCF (The Citizens Foundation)
  Co-curated with Rosa Maria Flvo
  Venue: Museo Diocesano Carlo Maria Martini, Milan
• 2014-15: “The Making of Meaning” An exhibition of work by women artists and artisans from minority communities across Pakistan (traveling exhibition)
  Co-curated with Shehnaz Ismail, Farida Batool, Asad Hayee, and Prof. Salima Hashmi (advisor)
  Supported by the European Union
  Venues: Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and Multan
• 2012: “The Color of the Narrative” Contemporary art from Pakistan, Organized by the Embassy of Pakistan, Bangkok
  Venue: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, Bangkok, Thailand
• 2009: “Hanging Fire” An exhibition of Pakistani contemporary art
  Venue: Asia Society Museum, New York
• 2008: “Desperately Seeking Paradise” Pakistan Pavilion at Art Dubai
  Venue: Dubai, UAE
• 2006: Singapore Biennale
  Pakistan Curator
  Venue: Singapore
• 2006: Asia Pacific Triennial
  Pakistan Curator
  Venue: Brisbane, Australia
• 2005: “Spinning Stories”
  Pakistan Curator
  Venue: Honolulu Academy of Art, Hawaii, USA
• 2005: 3rd Asian Art Triennial
  Selection Committee
  Venue: Fukuoka, Japan
• 2002: “Negotiating Borders - Contemporary Miniatures from Pakistan”
  Venue: Siddhartha Gallery, Kathmandu, Nepal
• 2002: “Threads, Dreams, Desires” Art from Pakistan
  Venue: Harris Museum, Preston, England
• 2002: 2nd Asian Triennial
  Pakistan Curator
  Venue: Fukuoka, Japan
• 2002: “The Eye Still Seeks” Exhibition of contemporary Pakistani art
  Venue: Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Sydney, Australia
• 2002: “Asian Art Biennale”
  Pakistan Curator
  Venue: Dhaka
• 1999: 3rd Asia Pacific Triennial
  Pakistan Curator
  Venue: Brisbane, Australia
• 1999: 1st Asian Triennial
  Pakistan Curator. Venue: Fukuoka, Japan
• 1998: “Memories and Modernities” Contemporary artists of the Muslim world
  Venue: Venice Biennale, Italy
• 1998: “The Draped and the Shaped” Textiles and costumes from Pakistan
  Venue: Cartwright Hall, Bradford, UK
• 1994: “An Intelligent Rebellion - Women Artists from Pakistan”
  Co-curator
  Venue: Cartwright Hall, Bradford, UK and UNESCO, Paris

Books:

• 2020: “Nazar Ki Umang” (The Eye Still Seeks, Contemporary Pakistani Art - Urdu translation), Edited by Salima Hashmi, Publisher: Sang-e-Meel, Lahore, Event: Lahore Literary Festival
• 2016: “The Night Bitten Dawn”, Publisher: Devi Art Foundation, New Delhi, India
• 2014: “The Eye Still Seeks – Contemporary Pakistani Art”, Edited by Salima Hashmi, Publisher: Penguin Books, India, Studio Series
• 2011: “Two Loves - Faiz's Letters from Jail”, Co-editor, Publisher: Sang-e-Meel, Lahore
• 2009: “Hanging Fire”, Publisher: Asia Society Museum, Yale University Press, New York
• 2006: “Travels, Mundane and Surreal – Art of Esther Rahim”, Co-editor, Publisher: Sang-e-Meel Publications, Lahore
• 2006: “Memory, Metaphor, Mutation – Contemporary Art of India and Pakistan”, Edited by Yashodara Dalmia, Publisher: Oxford University Press, Delhi
• 2002: “Unveiling the Visible: Lives and Works of Women Artists of Pakistan”, Publisher: Action Aid Pakistan, Sang-e-Meel Publications, Lahore

Journals:

• 2019: “Pakistan’s Radioactive Decade – An Informal Cultural History of the 1970s”, The Seventies - Tracing the Dream, Publisher: Oxford University Press, Karachi
• 2016: “Naya Daur”, Shakir Ali and Lahore Art Circle, Publisher: Sang-e-Meel Publication, November 2016
• 2016: “Jamini - Edited Special Issue in Textile Arts”, Publisher: Bengal Foundation, Dhaka, January 2016
• 2012: “Sinful Women – Women Artists from Pakistan”, N. Paradoxa Vol. 29, Publisher: Trans-Asia
• 2011: “A Hard Rain Falls Gently”, Overview of the dynamic Pakistani art education scenario, Published in Varta, Art Education Special, Vol. 3, No. 1
• 2009: “Contrary Signs – A New Generation of Artists from Pakistan”, Flash Art Vol. XLII, March – April
• 2005: “The Hue of the Garment”: Faiz Ahmed Faiz and a New Idiom for the People, Article in Moving Worlds, Journal of Transcultural Writings, Vol. 5, Number 2, Publisher: Leeds
• 2005: “A Wished for Song”, Craft in the work of Pakistani Women Artists, Jamini – Journal of Art, Dhaka
• 2001: “Past Moulds Present Matters”, Moving Worlds – Journal of Transcultural Writings, Vol. 1, Number 1, Publisher: University of Leeds
• 2000: “Radicalizing Tradition: Painting in Pakistan”, Art Link Vol. 20 #2, July, Edited by Alison Carroll & Caroline Turner, Publisher: Australian Council for the Arts
• 1997: “Intelligent Rebellion”, Crossing Boundaries - India International Centre Quarterly, Monsoon, Publisher: Delhi

Chapters

• 2019: “Intersections of Contemporary Art, Anthropology and Art History in South Asia - Decoding Visual Worlds”, Chapter 3: Reframing the Context for Pakistani Contemporary Art, Co-authored with Dr. Farida Batool, Edited by Sasnka Perera and Dev Nath Pathak, Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan, Spring Nature, Switzerland AG
• 2013: “A Song for This Day” – Instances of Poetic Encroachment in Contemporary Pakistani Art, Essay for B.N. Goswamy's tribute volume, Publisher: Rupa Press, Mumbai
• 2013: “No Terror in Art”, Essay for Labyrinth of Reflections – The Art of Rashid Rana (1992-2012), Publisher: Mohatta Palace Museum, Karachi
• 2012: “Art/Aesthetics in the Next 100 Years – A Dialogue”, Essay for The Next Thing: Art in the 21st Century, Edited by Pablo Baler, Publisher: FDU Press
• 2011: “Radicalizing Tradition”, Essay in Contemporary Art in Asia – A Critical Reader, Edited by Melissa Chiu and Benjamin Genocchio, Publisher: MIT Press, Massachusetts
• 2005: “Spinning Stories”, Catalogue essay for A Thousand and One Nights, Publisher: Honolulu Academy of Arts, Honolulu, Hawaii
• 2006: “Of Migrations and Transitions – Contemporary Art in Sindh”, Publisher: Marg Publications, Mumbai
• 2005: “Journey’s End – The Making of Kaarkhana”, Catalogue essay for Kaarkhana, Edited by Hammad Nasar and Anita Nasar, Publisher: The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum and Green Cardamom
• 2005: “Tracing the Image”, Chapter in Art and Social Change – Contemporary Art in Asia and Pacific, Edited by Caroline Turner, Publisher: Australian National University, Pandanus Books, Canberra
• 2004: “Sadeqain: The Other Story”, Chapter for Sadeqain, the Holy Sinner, Publisher: Mohatta Palace Publications, Karachi
• 2003: “Between Worlds – and Other Matters”, Catalogue for Talha Rathore, Publisher: Bose Pascia Gallery, New York
• 2001: “Art of India - Pre-History to the Present”, Chapter on Pakistani Art for Encyclopedia Britannica, Publisher: Chicago
• 1999: “Beyond the Future”, Catalogue essay for Asia-Pacific Triennial, Publisher: Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane
• 1997: “Ramblings of a Painter”, Kunapipi – Journal of Post-Colonial Literature, Vol. XIX, Number 3, Publisher: Yorkshire, England
• 1997: “Memories and Modernities – Recent Works from the Islamic World”, Catalogue essay, Publisher: Rockefeller Foundation, Venice
• 1994: “An Intelligent Rebellion – Women Artists from Pakistan”, Catalogue essay, Publisher: Cartwright Hall, Bradford, UK

• Email Address: salimahashmi@gmail.com
• CV: Prof. Salima Hashmi

• Prof. Salima Hashmi