MINAA HAROON
Visual Artist
Assistant Director (Fine Arts), Lahore Arts Council (Alhamra), Information & Culture Department, Government of Punjab
www.minaaharoon.com
minaa.haroon1@gmail.com
Lives and works in Lahore, Pakistan
EDUCATION
2016: Masters in Art and Design, Beaconhouse National University, Lahore
2012: Bachelors in Fine Arts (Miniature Painting), National College of Arts, Lahore
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024: Terms of Adornment, Khaas Gallery, Islamabad
2021: The Objects We Possessed, Solo Show (Virtual), Toula Gallery
2019: Out of City, Solo Show (Virtual), Antidote art. Design
SELECTED PARTICIPATED INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITIONS
2023: Chahargabh, travelling group show by Pakistan Embassy in Hungary, Budapest and Satrang Gallery, Islamabad
2021: Colleguim New, Biennale Orsha City Art Gallery, Orsha
2018: Beltand Road, group show, Suzhou University Museum, China
2017: The Incoming, group show, Studio Seven Gallery, Dubai
SELECTED PARTICIPATED NATIONAL GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024: Triptych, three-person show, Le Galerie Alliance François, Lahoe
2024: Of Stars and Eternity, group show, Sanat Initiative, Karachi
2023: Adornments, two person-show, Satrang Gallery, Islamabad
2023: 35th National Art Exhibition, travelling group show, Artists’ Association of Punjab, Alhamra Art Gallery and Pakistan National Council of Arts and Arts Council of Karachi.
2022: Tales Untold, group show, ArtSoch Contemporary, Lahore
2022: Life is Not Still, group show, National Art Gallery, Pakistan National Council of Arts, Islamabad
2022: International Islamic Arts Festival, Alhamra Art Centre, Lahore
2021: Vision Weavers, group show, ArtSoch Gallery, Lahore
2020: The Search, two-person show, Koel Gallery, Karachi
2019: Looking back to look within, group show, ArtChowk Gallery, Karachi
2018: From here to there, group show, ArtKaam Gallery, Karachi
2018: Void, two-person show, Studio Seven, Karachi
2017: National Exhibition, group show, Pakistan National Council of Arts, Shakir Ali Museum, Lahore
2017: Illusion of Reality, three person show, Satrang Gallery, Islamabad
RESIDENCY AND EXCHANGE PROGRAM
October 2024: Wanwu Council, co-supported by the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and Lahore Biennale Foundation.
April 2024: Cultural Preservation and Heritage Exchange Program in United States supported by the US Consulate, Lahore and administrated by Meridian International Center, United States
September 2023: Trainer / Mentor, Art Residency, Arts through Social Change, supported by the U.S. Mission in Pakistan in partnership Pakistan-U.S. Alumni Network (PUAN), U.S Mission Pakistan, and FACE, Islamabad
WORK EXPERIENCES
March 2023- June 2023: Additional charge of Deputy Director, Alhamra Cultural Complex, Lahore Arts Council
March 2023- June 2023: Curator Alhamra Art Museum, Alhamra Cultural Complex, Lahore Arts Council
2017- present: Assistant Director, Fine Arts (BPS-17) Currently posted at Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore Arts Council, Government of Punjab.
June 2020 – June 2022: Project Associate in project Rasai with GIZ, Germany
2020 – 2022: Incharge, Alhamra Academy of Performing Arts, Lahore
2016 – 2017: Visiting Lecturer at University of Management and Technology, Lahore
2012 – 2014: Art instructor at Lahore Grammar School, Paragon, Lahore
FESTIVALS AND WORKSHOPS
Organized
2023: Curator, Lahore Lahore Hai, Lahore Lahore hai Festival, Government of Punjab
2023: Coordinator of three day Calligraphy and Painting Workshop, Alhamra Cultural Complex
2022: Coordinator of four day, International Islamic Arts Festival, Alhamra Art Centre, Lahore
2019: Coordinator, EBRU, Turkish painting workshop, Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore
2019: Conducted, Children Art & Crafts workshop, Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore
Capacity building activities attended
15th-16th August 2023:
13th- 14th July 2023: British Council’s Training Workshop on Project Management and Proposal Writing, Lahore
15th-17th January 2023: Capacity- Building Workshop on Intangible Cultural Heritage and Climate Change, CRIHAP, Beijing UNESCO
17th- 20th November 2022: Training workshop and pilot community based inventorying of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Punjab, Lahore, UNESCO
2018: Building Bridges: Women in Leadership in the Public Sector, Punjab Commission on the Status of Women
SELECTED CURATORIAL PROJECTS
2024: Silent Echoes, Solo exhibition of Ahmer Farooq, La Galerie, Alliance François.
2023: About Time- 18th Annual Young Artists’ Exhibition, Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore
2022: Poster Competition and Exhibition on Right to Information Act in collaboration with GIZ, Germany, Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore
2021, 2019 & 2018: Alhamra National Exhibition of Visual Arts, Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore
2021: Beyond the Threshold of Time- 16th Annual Young Artists’ Exhibition, Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore
2020: Resilience- 16th Annual Young Artists’ Exhibition, Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore
2019: Current- 15th Annual Young Artists’ Exhibition, Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore
2018: Khat Art, group show of Calligraphy at Alhamra Arts Gallery, Lahore
2018: Colors of Pakistan, Museum of Sociology and Anthropology, Thammasat University, Thailand
2018: Single Country Exhibition, Queen Sirkit Convention Center, Thailand
HONORS AND AWARDS
2021: Ahmer Award on International Day of Islamic Art as a Curator
2021: Popular’s Choice Award, RedArtBox, Los Angeles
2012: Sir Percy Award at National College of Arts, Lahore
2012: Alhamra Young Artist 2012, Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore Art Council, Lahore
TALKS DELIVERED
19th December 2024: Moderator, Documenting the National Art Gallery, Alhamra Arts Council, Lahore
04th November 2024: Panelist, Climate Congress, Asia Forum Arts and Environment Roundtable, Lahore Biennale Foundation, Lahore Museum
09th September 2023: Moderator, Conference, Future of the Museum vs Museum of the Future, Lahore Museum
02nd August 2023: Speaker, The State of Museum in Pakistan moderated by Quddus Mirza, by Vasl Artists’ Association, Lake Road Gallery
07th June 2023: Speaker, Artist’s Talk, Fatima Jinnah University, Islamabad
24th February 2023: Speaker, If a Tree Could Wander, Lahore Literary Festival, talk with Salima Hashmi, Charles Moore and Warda Shabbir
15th July 2022: Speaker, Art beyond Boundaries, International Virtual Conference on Museums, IVCOM, Speaker with four other panelists.
2021: Speaker, Curator’s Talk, Behind the Art Scene with Mehreen Hashmi
2020: Mixplate with Shoaib Ahmed
2020: Panelist, The Little Art, Live Talks, Talk with two other panelists
COMMITTEE MEMBER
2023: Head of Artists’ Support Fund of Lahore Arts Council, Government of Punjab
2019: Punjab Arts, Crafts and Architecture Council, Minister of Information & Culture Department, Government of Punjab
JUDGE/ JUROR FOR ART COMPETITIONS
2023: Judge, Regional category, Aga Khan Youth and Sports
2023: UGI Art Competition, Judge, Unique Group of Institutions, Lahore
2023: Juror, Graffiti Art Competition, Women’s Day, University of Home Economic, Lahore
2022 & 2018: End Polio Now, Judge, District Polio Plus Chair & District Women Literacy Chair, Governor House, Heritage Museum, Lahore
2022: Wildlife Art Exhibition on World Animal Day, Judge, Lahore Zoo, Lahore
2020: Swift Retort, Judge, Pakistan Air Force, Lahore
2019: Final year thesis, Juror, NCBAE, Lahore
2019: Hult Prize 2019, Juror, Kinnaird College for Women University, Lahore
SELECTED REVIEWS AND INTERVIEWS IN PRINT MEDIA
- Mirza, Quddus, Remains of a Disappearance: How artist Minaa Haroon explores adornment and a sense of loss, The Friday Times, 31 May 2024
- Ahmed, Shoaib. Minaa Haroon to display artworks based on feminine accessories, 25 July 2023
- The Express Tribune, 22nd November 2022
- Ahmed, Shoaib. Two exhibitions at Alhamra in the works, 04 January 2023
- The Express Tribune, 22nd November 2022
- Ahmed, Shoaib. Islamic Art Festival from 17 Nov, 25th October 2022
- Khan, Nimra, Elevating the mundane, Dawn, 26th January 2020
- Salman, Peerzada. The ongoing search, Dawn, 12th February 2020
- Ansari, Shahab. National Exhibition Opens, The News, 27th November 2018.
- Munir, Fatima. A sense of attachment: Creating depth in vacant spaces, The Express Tribune, 15th October 2018.
- Void, Nigaah Art & Culture from South Asia, November 2018.
- Ahmed, Shoaib. Cultural Circle: Group show of calligraphy from 30th, Dawn News, 27th May 2018.
- Ahmed, Shoaib. 500 artworks to feature at young artists, exhibition, Dawn News, 12th April, 2018.
- Ahmed, Shoaib. Culture Circle: Documentary celebrates life, work of late young artists, Dawn News, 21st May, 2017.
- Quershi, Mariam. Art as Psychological Space, ArtNow Contemporary Art of Pakistan.
- Hasan, Zainab. Illusion of Reality, Youlin Magazine 31 (March) 2017.
- Kazim, Syeda Shehrbano. Unique mediums to explore space, reality, Dawn News, 29 March