The Nigaah Art Awards honored outstanding artistic talent in Pakistan with a ceremony that featured performances by fire dancers, dhol players, and folk musicians, as well as an auction of paintings to support art student scholarships. The esteemed jury, comprising RM Naeem, Dr Arjumand Faisel, Dr Rahat Naveed Masud, Amra Ali, Noorjehan Bilgrami, and Tauqeer Muhajir, selected winners who demonstrated innovation, dedication, and a profound impact on contemporary aesthetics. The awards aim to promote artistic talent in Pakistan and beyond, inspiring the next generation of artists to push boundaries and tell their unique stories through their craft.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1268448-bank-al-falah-nigaah-art-awards-2024-honouring-excellence-in-art-and-creativityThe Alhamra Arts Council hosted a notable event featuring renowned vocalist Ghulam Abbas as the guest of honour, who was warmly received by Chairman Alhamra Razi Ahmed and Executive Director Tauqeer Haider Kazmi. The evening's highlight was a series of exceptional performances by instructors and emerging artists from the Alhamra Academy of Performing Arts, including Sitar and Tabla maestros Ustad Saleem and Shahid Ali Khan, as well as world-renowned sarangi player Zohaib Hassan.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40341089/alhamra-hosts-classical-music-eveningIan Lynam's book "Fracture: Japanese Graphic Design 1875-1975" is a comprehensive collection of 19th-century kamon designs that once adorned kimono and other items in Japan. The book, the result of 15 years of research and production, explores Japan's complex relationship with modernity, colonial history, and cultural shifts following the Meiji Restoration. It sheds light on the country's visual evolution and its often hidden stories, providing a vital addition to the international dialogue on graphic design.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2025/01/04/books/fracture-japanese-graphic-design/The National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin is hosting a joint exhibition featuring the works of artists Mainie Jellett and Evie Hone, as well as an exhibition dedicated to Sarah Purser's contributions to Irish art. The exhibitions are part of a larger museum ecosystem that Purser helped foster during her time as director of the National Gallery of Ireland and founder of the Friends of the National Collections of Ireland. The joint exhibition is also notable for being the first since 1924, when Jellett and Hone last showed their work together in Dublin.
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/01/03/mainie-jellett-evie-hone-sarah-purser-exhibitions-dublin-modern-art-irelandA £60,000 sculpture titled "La Promesse" by artist Anne Curry was stolen from her home in Arkesden, Saffron Walden, Essex overnight between December 5 and 6. The sculpture has a manufacturing value of £20,000 but is worth £60,000 on the market. It is signed by Curry, who has exhibited her work globally and created busts of notable figures such as John Major and Michael Heseltine. Essex Police are investigating the theft, led by PC Glenn Simons, and urge anyone with information about suspicious activity in the area to come forward.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14250029/Thieves-60-000-sculpture-grounds-home.htmlThe cityscape of Omotesando in Tokyo is reflected in a kaleidoscope of mirrors at the Tokyo Nightscapes installation. The installation, which opened on January 4, 2025, features a series of mirrored panels that reflect the diverse and multifaceted nature of the area. Located in the heart of Tokyo, Omotesando is known for its unique blend of traditional and modern architecture, fashion, and culture.
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20241227/p2a/00m/0na/033000cA video has gone viral online showcasing a modern twist on the traditional Indian art form of Rangoli. The video, which has garnered thousands of views, features a person creating intricate designs using colored powders in a fluid and effortless manner. This new method challenges the conventional way of making Rangoli, providing a fresh perspective on the traditional art. The technique is being widely shared across social media platforms, with viewers admiring its blend of traditional culture and contemporary innovation.
https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/video-woman-surprises-viewers-by-creating-stunning-rangoli-with-just-powder-throwing-7398543#pfrom=home-ndtv_lateststories_topstoriesImgArtist Adel Yazdi has revitalised the crumbling walls of Narenjestan, a historic neighbourhood in Shiraz, southern Iran, with vibrant paintings and carved relief faces. The artwork, which includes the face of Scheherazade from One Thousand and One Nights, has become a social media sensation and tourist attraction. Yazdi's workshop and residence, a century-old building with traditional Persian architecture, features intricate sculptures and artefacts, including 14,000 finger sculptures in "the Finger Room" inspired by an Islamic fable. The project aims to transform Shiraz's alleyways into a vibrant cultural centre, drawing inspiration from the Pompidou Centre in Paris.
https://www.malaymail.com/news/life/2025/01/04/iranian-artist-transforms-shirazs-rustic-narenjestan-into-a-cultural-gem/161935Artist Adel Yazdi has transformed his neighborhood in Shiraz, southern Iran, into a vibrant cultural hub through his paintings and carved relief faces on crumbling walls. The neighborhood, Narenjestan, was once dilapidated but is now adorned with intricate designs and bright colors reminiscent of Surrealism. Yazdi's artwork includes the face of Scheherazade from "One Thousand and One Nights" and has become a social media sensation and tourist attraction. His workshop in a century-old building features traditional Persian architecture and is filled with artifacts and sculptures, drawing visitors such as engineer Maedah who compares it to other historical sites in Shiraz. Yazdi's inspiration comes from the Pompidou Centre in Paris and he hopes his efforts will turn Shiraz's alleyways into a vibrant cultural center.