ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) has inaugurated a solo exhibition, “What Remains to be Seen”, by distinguished impressionist painter NusratJi at the National Art Gallery, Islamabad.
Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture Division Aurangzeb Khan Khichi attended the ceremony as chief guest, while HUM Network Limited CEO and Founder Sultana Siddiqui was the guest of honour.
The opening was also attended by Secretary National Heritage and Culture Division Asad ur Rehman Gilani, HUM TV Co-Founder Durraid Qureshi, and PNCA Director General M. Ayoub Jamali.
The exhibition has been arranged in two galleries. Gallery 1, titled “Immersive Experience”, features projected imagery, light and sound. Gallery 2, titled “Drawing & Painting”, presents original paintings and 50 drawing studies.
According to PNCA, the exhibition offers an immersive visual experience that explores memory, perception, and the shifting space between what is seen and what remains unseen.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Arjumand Faisel, Dr Mamoona Khan and Sajjad Haider discussed NusratJi’s paintings, drawings and the concept of the immersive exhibition. They highlighted her expressive palette knife technique, her well-known horse paintings, and her strong association with Pakistan’s cultural heritage, landscapes, architecture and folk traditions.
Addressing the audience, NusratJi spoke about her artistic journey of more than four decades. She thanked all those who supported the exhibition, particularly PNCA Director General M. Ayoub Jamali, Director-VAD Mariam Ahmed and her team, as well as Waheed Latif, curator of the immersive exhibition, and his team.
In her statement, the artist said: “If colour has its charm, line has its own ecstasy.”
The exhibition features 100 studies alongside original paintings drawn from life around her, including the Thar Series, folk lores, horses, architecture, calligraphy and nature. The works carry energy, action and an inner rhythm of her own.
Sultana Siddiqui appreciated the strong social commentary in NusratJi’s drawings of rural women in interiors. She noted that the works depict the women’s hard work and resilience through a “faceless” appearance, describing it as a poignant subject to reflect upon.
NusratJi is regarded as one of Pakistan’s distinguished impressionist painters. She has held more than 25 solo exhibitions and has extensively exhibited internationally, including in the UK, Canada, USA, UAE, Bahrain and beyond. Her work has made a significant contribution to Pakistan’s visual arts landscape.
The exhibition will remain open for public viewing at the National Art Gallery, PNCA, Islamabad, until October 27, 2026. It will remain closed on Saturdays.
