Pakistan's leading artists display their work at Karachi expo

'Handle With Care' features creations that present a deeply personal, fearless exploration of the human experience

KARACHI:

A new group exhibition, Handle With Care, has opened in Karachi, bringing together ten of Pakistan's leading figurative artists in what curator Scheherezade Junejo describes as a deeply personal and fearless exploration of the human experience.

Featuring works by Farhat Ali, Madiha Hyder, Maria Khan, Mariam Agha, Misha Japanwala, Muhammad Zeeshan, R.M. Naeem, Waseem Ahmed, Zahid Mayo, and Zahra Mansoor, the exhibition showcases artists from across Pakistan and the diaspora, with participants based in Karachi, Lahore, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Speaking about the exhibition, curator Scheherezade Junejo said the idea was to bring together artists who specialise in figurative art and create a meaningful visual dialogue through their work.

"We gathered ten figurative artists and carefully built a narrative around their work. The exhibition is about the human experience and how each artist expresses it through their own unique visual language."

She noted that while some artists are based in Karachi and Lahore, others including Maria Khan in Canada, Misha Japanwala in New Jersey and Zahra Mansoor in the UK contributed from overseas, making the exhibition a meeting point of diverse artistic voices.

Reflecting on the exhibition as both curator and viewer, Junejo said she was impressed by the honesty and courage reflected in the artworks.

"This is not a show where artists are trying to please everyone. They have created work for themselves, which makes the exhibition bold, expressive and different. The level of skill and the depth of emotion on display are truly remarkable."

Visual artist Muhammad Zeeshan, one of the participating artists, said figurative art has remained central to artistic practice throughout history, with every generation interpreting the human figure in its own way.

"This exhibition is a small survey of how artists from the last three decades are engaging with the figure. Every artist has a distinct identity, whether through imagery, technique or style."

Zeeshan added that the exhibition presents an equal representation of male and female artists and praised the thoughtful curation.

"We live in a digital age, but experiencing artworks on a screen can never replace seeing them in person. I invite everyone to visit the exhibition and experience the work firsthand."

Running until 6 August 2026, Handle With Care offers visitors an opportunity to explore contemporary figurative art through diverse perspectives, united by a shared focus on identity, emotion and the complexities of human life.

Two prominent artists whose work is being displayed in the exhibition are Farhat Ali and Misha Japanwala.

Farhat Ali has described his previous work as using characters from two seemingly different time periods, adding that there were characters from our heritage and cartoons which belonged to the digital era. He said blending the two worlds together had helped him produce a narrative which was different and unique.

Misha Japanwala's work has been featured in a six-page editorial spread in Vogue Spain, modelled by French model Cindy Bruna. She received her second offer of displaying her art from model Gigi Hadid in special issue of V Magazine named Gigi's Journal Part II. Japanwala has been selected on the "30 under 30 Asia" list published by Forbes.