PNCA To Host Groundbreaking Pakistan–UK Moving Image Exhibition “Seeing, ? (Seen)”

The Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) is set to present Seeing, ? (Seen): Reframing the Moving Image in Pakistan-a landmark international exhibition exploring the power of film, video, and new media as tools of resistance, disruption, and cultural reimagination

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Jul, 2025) The Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) is set to present Seeing, ? (Seen): Reframing the Moving Image in Pakistan-a landmark international exhibition exploring the power of film, video, and new media as tools of resistance, disruption, and cultural reimagination.

The exhibition, bringing together contemporary artists from Pakistan and the UK, will open with a public reception on July 30, inaugurated by the Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi. The event will feature an artist panel discussion prior to the formal opening and will remain on view until August 8, 2025. Visitors can experience the showcase daily from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM (excluding Saturdays) at the PNCA premises in Islamabad.

Curated by Sarah Rajper, an Islamabad-based curator and designer, the exhibition is the result of her participation in the Art Exchange: Moving Image curatorial fellowship, supported by the British Council and organised by LUX (UK) and the Art South Asia Project. The year-long international fellowship involved mentorship and research engagements at prestigious institutions including Tate Modern, Somerset House, Barbican Centre, and the British Film Institute.

Seeing, ? (Seen) repositions the moving image as a powerful medium through which memory, identity, and temporality are examined in the modern context. The works collectively question how visual media shape perception in an era defined by rapid digital transformation.

The exhibition showcases an impressive lineup of artists Abdul Hadi, Farida Batool, Kaiser Irfan, Mahnoor Ali Shah, M4HK, Rabeeha Adnan, and Ujala Khan from Pakistan, alongside UK-based artist duo John Wood and Paul Harrison, with additional works drawn from the British Council Art Collection.

A robust public engagement programme will accompany the exhibition, featuring talks, panels, workshops, and lectures that delve into themes of film, technology, identity, and societal reflection.

Organised in collaboration with the Lahore Digital Arts Festival, this initiative marks a vibrant chapter in Pakistan’s evolving art landscape and underscores the role of cross-cultural collaboration in fostering critical and creative dialogue.