From canvas to culture, Waseem’s art tells the story of a community often unheard.
Originally from Parachinar and now based in Lahore, @winsoo12 graduated from the National College of Arts with a major in painting. His work reflects the lived experiences of his hometown and the wider Pashtun tribes, with a focus on themes of conflict and violence.
Through painting, Waseem captures the profound impact these struggles leave on society and culture. Bold, vibrant colours and dynamic forms become his language, expressing the emotions, pain, and resilience of his people.
Waseem’s artistic journey is deeply rooted in the turmoil of his community, and each stroke evokes a visceral response, inviting the viewer to look closer, feel deeper, and connect with the narratives often left untold.
Link to catalogue in bio - Waseem Abbas (b. 1999) is a visual artist from Parachinar, Pakistan, currently based in Lahore. He graduated in January 2025 from the National College of Arts, Lahore, with a major in Painting.
Since completing his degree, Waseem has actively engaged with Pakistan’s emerging art scene, participating in numerous group exhibitions at prominent galleries. His selected exhibitions include Asli Contemporary Vol. 2 at Numaish Gah, Lahore; A New Dawn at the Alhamra Arts Council Young Artists Exhibition 2025; Broadcast Vol. 2 at O Art Space, Lahore; The Summer Edit at Ocean Art Galleries, Lahore; and the Arjumand Painting Award 2025 Exhibition at Alhamra Arts Council, Lahore. He also participated in the group exhibition The Next Chapter at Mainframe Gallery, Karachi (November 2025), the 21st Emerging Talent Exhibition at VM Art Gallery, Karachi (January 2026), and the five-person exhibition Beyond at The Reservoir Art Gallery, Lahore (January 2026).
Link to catalogue in bio - Waseem Abbas’s practice is rooted in the lived experiences of his hometown, Parachinar, and the broader Pashtun community. His work engages with themes of conflict and violence, examining their enduring impact on society and culture. Through painting, he seeks to articulate the emotional and psychological weight of these realities.
Deeply influenced by the turmoil and struggles faced by his community, Waseem captures personal and collective narratives shaped by instability and loss. Using bold, vibrant colors and dynamic forms, his work evokes a visceral response, inviting viewers to engage more deeply with the emotions, tensions, and histories embedded within the imagery.
Link to catalogue in bio — SILENT CURRENTS, an online exhibition featuring five outstanding Arjumand Painting Award participants, opens tomorrow, 28 February, for our mailing list and on our website.
Curator’s Note
Silent Currents presents a selection of recent paintings by five artists associated with the Arjumand Painting Award 2025. Conceived as an online exhibition, it introduces their work to the art community and to collectors in Pakistan and abroad.
The exhibition brings together distinct painterly practices that share a sensitivity to color, texture, and composition. Each artist demonstrates a clear visual language, allowing the paintings to assert themselves with quiet confidence. Though varied in approach, the works are united by an attention to material presence and tonal depth. The paintings invite sustained viewing, rewarding collectors with works that are both visually engaging and enduring in their appeal.
Silent Currents positions these artists within a contemporary painting discourse while presenting works that are accessible, refined, and suited to private collections. The exhibition offers collectors an opportunity to engage with strong new voices whose practices reflect clarity, intention, and a lasting commitment to the medium of paint.
Beyond explores moments of transition where ideas shift, forms hesitate, and meaning remains open. Bringing together five distinct practices, the exhibition traces how artists move past prescribed frames to engage uncertainty, imagination, and lived experience as active sites of inquiry.
Rameen Ahmed
Saad Mehmood
Raza Ur Rehman
Waseem Abbas
Ammara Rafique
Opening 22nd January at The Reservoir
📍301 Residence 62, FCC, 62 Syed Maratib Ali Road Gulberg IV Lahore.
22nd January 2026 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM
23rd January - 28th January 2026 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
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The cost of truth
Acrylic on canvas
26x38 inches
Year: 2025-26
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This painting is Currently on display at @vmartgallery Karachi Pakistan,
21 Emerging Talent Exhibition, The Exhibition counties till 10th of February 2026.
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#aliwazir #contemporary #abustract
#artwork #paintingsofinstagram
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The last farewell II
Acrylic on canvas
25x40 inches
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Arjumand Painting Award 2025 – this painting was exhibited at the Alhamra Arts Council alongside 150 outstanding artists from across Pakistan. I feel proud to have been a part of such an incredible and magnificent exhibition.”
This painting was displayed at Alhamra Arts Council alongside 150 amazing artists from all over Pakistan.such an incredible and grand exhibition.
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#pakistancontemporaryart #artists #painting artworkoninstagram artwork
