ome art forms simultaneously invoke the senses of touch, hearing, smell and taste. However, most works of art deal with the act of seeing: i.e. paintings, prints, drawings, miniatures, photographs and videos. When it comes to looking beyond the physical world, one may decide to focus on the past, concentrate on the present or try to figure out the future. A subjective view is inevitable; even two individuals standing side by side in front of an object perceive it differently so that their descriptions can be in stark contrast to each other.

Looking ahead for the year that began on Monday, in relation to art, is more or less an exercise of imagination; aided by information, calculations and assumption. The most important event coming up in the year 2024 is the third edition of Lahore Biennale which will open on February 9. Its theme is Ecology and Sustainable Futures and it is being curated by John Tain, the head of research at Asia Art Archive, Hong Kong. “Noting the importance of contributions by local artists in addressing the bienniale’s themes, he [the curator] has stressed the need to invite international artists to participate as well, underscoring “that Lahore is not alone in confronting challenges caused by climate change.” It is easy to identify with the themes of the forthcoming Lahore Biennale after the country was hit by the worst floods of its history in 2022. The calamity claimed numerous lives, livestock, houses and possessions.

As I write these lines, I cannot peer out of my window due to a dense layer of fog – or is it smog? (smog, a combination of smoke and fog, is a coinage attributed to Henry Antoine Des Voeux in a 1905 paper). It is better and more feasible therefore to contemplate about the future, rather than try to discover one’s immediate surroundings. Meanwhile, the immediate surrounding is no longer limited to one’s study, neighborhood, town, province or country, since advancements in information technology have linked every person/ activity/ idea to the global village. One can reside in Sukkur and be able to access museums, galleries, exhibitions and participate in the talks, conferences, seminars anywhere across the continents.

One presumes that in 2024, the interaction between artists of this nation and other regions will accelerate, as well as galleries, critics, curators, collectors and art students. Another mode of building this exchange and relationship is biennales, and triennials. The forthcoming Karachi Biennale, curated by Waheeda Baloch, will likely extend the course. The tone was set by its first edition brilliantly curated by Amin Gulgee.

Apart from the biennales (our nation currently has two though the number could increase quickly like the literary festivals are now held in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Hyderabad, Faisalabad, Sialkot, and Peshawar), there are art fairs, and other international exhibitions. One gathers that the works of Pakistani artists – like previous years – will be displayed at several prestigious trans-national events, including Art Dubai (March 1-4), followed by Abu Dhabi Art Fair in the fall, the 60^th Venice Biennale (April 20 – November 24), Art Basel Hong Kong (March 28-30), Art Basel Switzerland (June 13-16) and Frieze London (October 3-6).

The forthcoming Karachi Biennale, curated by Waheeda Baloch, will probably extend the course. The tone was set by its first edition brilliantly curated by Amin Gulgee.

A new phenomenon in the Pakistani art is the pop-up shows and the use of non-commercial and parallel spaces. The way the society is rushing towards commercialisation and commodification of every product and artistic expression has prompted the establishment of alternative venues. This is a way to resist the temptation of the market and to provide an opportunity to those who, due to their uncanny art pursuits or lack of experience, are not admitted into the citadels of private galleries. One foresees more of these ventures in 2024.

Can one speculate on what individual artists will be doing in 2024? Will they cling to their signature, safe and successful style/ imagery/ technique? It is perhaps unfair to demand changes in an artist’s vocabulary from one year to the next, but one hopes that a few will surprise their followers, admirers, peers and themselves by experimenting. One saw this in Antony Gormley’s recent body of work based on geometric segments, which is quite distinct from his figurative sculptures and David Hockney’s decision to shift to fax and to digital drawings in the twilight of his magnificent career of being a painter of sensitive, sensuous and strong surfaces.

In contrast to these celebrities, we have artists, with a few years of creative experiences, who after the public reaction to their first or a few shows are happy to stick to repetitive work, until they choke – and ruin themselves (Mashkoor Raza’s brilliant beginning as a graduate of Karachi School of Art comes to mind); or stifle the market (like many landscape painters from the Punjab). This can happen due to a lack of meaningful discussion after these individuals leave their art schools, or are under the influence and guidance of some tutors/ senior practitioners who advise them to produce work that will; hence no abstract art, no videos, no text pieces and certainly no installations.

A number of emerging artists have defied such commands disguised as sincere suggestions. One hopes that in the year 2024, these young and exciting artists will continue to pursue their inner calling. Artists who are graduating this year or acquired their degrees at the end of last year, from the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture; the Department of Visual Studies, Karachi University; the National College of Arts, Lahore; the College of Art and Design, Punjab University; and the Beaconhouse National University, are going to set the pattern for the future.

One also hopes that the year 2024 will witness the emergence of more art galleries, especially in Lahore and Islamabad, which are willing to display and promote work that speaks of risk, daring and ingenuity. However, these wishes will have no chance unless there is an intellectual discourse on art, and not just jubilatory comments on the opening of exhibitions and laudatory remarks in the reviews. A serious conversation on art does not mean a pat on the shoulder, a push at the back or a reference to some future buyer, but an occasion to analyze, investigate and examine someone’s art practice in an earnest, intelligent and inquisitive tone.

To build such an environment, we need more books, more online publications, more writers and more readers; for a greater, more substantial and critical discourse between the image and the text in 2024.

The writer is an art critic based in Lahore