ArtChowk began in 2007 as a virtual platform showing emerging artists, particularly from South Asia. We have evolved into an arts organization promoting visual art through curatorial projects and exhibitions, with emphasis on the East. Our goal is to engage art lovers in the extraordinary narratives emerging from the art practices that support our programme and maintain a dialogue between the cultural perspectives of those practices. Going forward, the gallery calendar will also include events involving other art disciplines such as literature, music and cinema.
ArtChowk - The Gallery is our physical space that houses the works from our catalogue and runs a comprehensive gallery programme of modern and contemporary art. We were very keen to find a space that is open enough to not restrict our artists in the scale of the works they produce, and also allow viewers some space to enjoy the works. Through our gallery programme we have developed a strong curatorial outlook that aims to influence contemporary artistic practices rather than follow current trends. We represent younger artists who are coming into their practices, older artists who have not been able to harness the correct support and representation to platform their work, and established, well-known artists. Our only criterion is the work and we have had considerable success in bringing fresh voices forward. Collaborations with affiliated galleries allow us to take our artists to a wider audience and exhibit international artists at our gallery.
ArtChowk.com was established to provide a means to artists to show their work through a virtual platform to institutions, collectors and art lovers in other art markets and geographical regions. It is an online gallery and art resource. The site provides background history and critical profiling of the artist along with images of their work. In order to maintain a record of the artist’s practice the works remain on the site even when acquired. This fact, along with the Authenticity Certificate that accompanies every artwork provides a complete provenance of the artwork.
Through our Consulting and Advisory activities we assist clients with building up their collections both from a curatorial as well as investment point of view. We also source work for them, researching the provenance and whenever possible getting the works authenticated by an independent source.
THE TEAM
We are a varied team with backgrounds in art and finance. This gives us a synergy that allows us to rely strongly on our own viewpoint and support artists searching for a platform to be heard from.
Shakira Masood trained as a printmaker from the Corcoran School of Art, Washington D.C, and then at the Philippines University, Manila, and held her first solo shows in Manila and Karachi in the 1970s. After a long sabbatical she picked up her practice again in 1994 and has been exhibiting regularly both within Pakistan and abroad. She is a founding member of ArtChowk.
Bushra Hussain is a graduate of the National College of Arts, Lahore, with a major in miniature and a minor in printmaking. Since 2006 she has been involved in art publishing, curating and gallery management. She has also documented and catalogued some of the largest private collections in Pakistan. Bushra joined the ArtChowk team in 2010.
Camilla Hadi Chaudhary has a background in economics and international relations, graduating from Boston University, Boston, and Williams College, Williamstown. After stints in finance and teaching, a love of art brought about the idea of ArtChowk and, along with Shakira, she is a founding member of the company.
