About
Abdullah Qureshi (b. 1987, Lahore) is a multidisciplinary artist, curator, and educator. Rooted in traditions of abstraction, he incorporates gestural, poetic, and hybrid methodologies to address autobiography, trauma, and sexuality through painting, filmmaking, and immersive events.
Drawing from childhood memories, everyday surroundings, and intimate encounters, interior objects, abstract landscapes, and faceless portraits are recurring themes in his two-dimensional work. In moving image and durational projects, Qureshi situates artistic concerns from the personal into more expansive conversations on critical histories, visual culture, and social justice. His films take a camp performance-based approach to portray scenes, symbols, and non-linear narratives that extend his visual language, questions on identity, and queer genealogies outside the Western canon.
Working with long-term collaborators, Qureshi’s curating, cultural programming, pedagogy, and writings further articulate his inquiries in feminist, LGBTIQ2S+, decolonial, anti-racist, and migratory discourses. Centering Black and People of Color perspectives, he engages collective modes of creative thinking, organization, and production. Through his ongoing doctoral project, Mythological Migrations: Imagining Queer Muslim Utopias, he examines formations of queer identity and resistance in Muslim migratory contexts.
Qureshi's work has been exhibited internationally, including at the National Gallery of Art, Islamabad, Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore, Rossi & Rossi, London, Berlinische Galerie, Berlin, Twelve Gates Arts, Philadelphia, and SOMArts Cultural Center, San Francisco. He has held numerous positions at cultural and educational institutions, including the British Council Pakistan and National College of Arts, Lahore. Qureshi has conducted lectures, paper readings, and artist talks around the world, including at the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU), Prague, Ateneum Art Museum, Helsinki, PRAKSIS, Oslo, Residency Unlimited, New York, University of California, Irvine, Valand Academy, Gothenburg, and Fábrica de Arte Cubano, Havana.
In 2017, Qureshi received the Art and International Cooperation fellowship at Zurich University of the Arts, and in 2018, a research fellowship at the Center for Arts, Design, and Social Research, Boston. From 2022 - 2024, he was a Lecturer in Fine Art at Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne and Visiting Faculty at Central Saint Martins, London. Qureshi is currently a Doctoral Candidate at Aalto University, Espoo, and Advisor at Transart Institute for Creative Research.
Drawing from childhood memories, everyday surroundings, and intimate encounters, interior objects, abstract landscapes, and faceless portraits are recurring themes in his two-dimensional work. In moving image and durational projects, Qureshi situates artistic concerns from the personal into more expansive conversations on critical histories, visual culture, and social justice. His films take a camp performance-based approach to portray scenes, symbols, and non-linear narratives that extend his visual language, questions on identity, and queer genealogies outside the Western canon.
Working with long-term collaborators, Qureshi’s curating, cultural programming, pedagogy, and writings further articulate his inquiries in feminist, LGBTIQ2S+, decolonial, anti-racist, and migratory discourses. Centering Black and People of Color perspectives, he engages collective modes of creative thinking, organization, and production. Through his ongoing doctoral project, Mythological Migrations: Imagining Queer Muslim Utopias, he examines formations of queer identity and resistance in Muslim migratory contexts.
Qureshi's work has been exhibited internationally, including at the National Gallery of Art, Islamabad, Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore, Rossi & Rossi, London, Berlinische Galerie, Berlin, Twelve Gates Arts, Philadelphia, and SOMArts Cultural Center, San Francisco. He has held numerous positions at cultural and educational institutions, including the British Council Pakistan and National College of Arts, Lahore. Qureshi has conducted lectures, paper readings, and artist talks around the world, including at the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU), Prague, Ateneum Art Museum, Helsinki, PRAKSIS, Oslo, Residency Unlimited, New York, University of California, Irvine, Valand Academy, Gothenburg, and Fábrica de Arte Cubano, Havana.
In 2017, Qureshi received the Art and International Cooperation fellowship at Zurich University of the Arts, and in 2018, a research fellowship at the Center for Arts, Design, and Social Research, Boston. From 2022 - 2024, he was a Lecturer in Fine Art at Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne and Visiting Faculty at Central Saint Martins, London. Qureshi is currently a Doctoral Candidate at Aalto University, Espoo, and Advisor at Transart Institute for Creative Research.
Publications
Chapters in Books
Qureshi, A. (2023). A Queer History of Pakistani Art: Anwar Saeed and Other Ways of Love. In O. Kasmani, Pak*stan Desires: Queer Futures Elsewhere. Duke University Press. 166 – 183. https://doi.org/10.1215/9781478027317-012
Qureshi, A. (2022). The Bag of Passports: On Mobility, National Identity, and Migration. In Mira Kallio-Tavin. Borderless: Global Narratives in Art Education. INSEA Publications. 204 – 216.
Qureshi, A. (2018). Queer Migrations: The Case of an LGBT Cafe / Queers without Borders. In A. Suominen & T. Pusa (Eds.). Feminism and Queer in Art Education. 90 – 115. Aalto ARTS Books.
Articles, Peer-reviewed
Qureshi, A. (2020). On Digital Decolonization: a conversation with Morehshin Allahyari. Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies. 41(1), 87 – 100. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5250/fronjwomestud.41.1.0087
Qureshi, A. (2019). The Bag of Passports: On Mobility, National Identity, and Migration. Research in Arts and Education. 4/2019. 49 – 67. https://doi.org/10.54916/rae.118895
Qureshi, A. (2015). The Traumatic Past. THAAP Journal. 199 – 203.
Qureshi, A. (2014). The Space of the Mughal Miniature. THAAP Journal. 68 – 76.
Other Publications
Qureshi, A. (2022) Dreaming about Heaven 58. ABJD and Tomorrow We Inherit The Earth. Sming Sming Books, California.
Qureshi, A. (2020). Notes on Marseille, Manifesta, and the Margins. Impossible Reader. Museum of Impossible Forms, Helsinki.
Qureshi, A. & Anagnostou, D. (2020). Mythological Migrations: On Collaborations, Organization, and Production. Six Years in the Third Space.
Qureshi, A. (2019). Reflections on Tom’s Men, Cadinot’s Harem, and Zulfikar’s Mussalmaan Musclemen. Mustekala.
Edited Journals
Co-edited with Mira Kallio-Tavin and Marie Andrée Godin. (2021, December). Critical Artistic Research as Practices of Care. Research in Art and Education. https://journal.fi/rae/issue/view/8030
Co-edited with Natasha Malik. (2021, June). Issue on The Creative Process: Critical Perspectives on Art, Research, and Education from Pakistan and Beyond. Research in Art and Education. https://journal.fi/rae/issue/view/8455
Qureshi, A. (2023). A Queer History of Pakistani Art: Anwar Saeed and Other Ways of Love. In O. Kasmani, Pak*stan Desires: Queer Futures Elsewhere. Duke University Press. 166 – 183. https://doi.org/10.1215/9781478027317-012
Qureshi, A. (2022). The Bag of Passports: On Mobility, National Identity, and Migration. In Mira Kallio-Tavin. Borderless: Global Narratives in Art Education. INSEA Publications. 204 – 216.
Qureshi, A. (2018). Queer Migrations: The Case of an LGBT Cafe / Queers without Borders. In A. Suominen & T. Pusa (Eds.). Feminism and Queer in Art Education. 90 – 115. Aalto ARTS Books.
Articles, Peer-reviewed
Qureshi, A. (2020). On Digital Decolonization: a conversation with Morehshin Allahyari. Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies. 41(1), 87 – 100. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5250/fronjwomestud.41.1.0087
Qureshi, A. (2019). The Bag of Passports: On Mobility, National Identity, and Migration. Research in Arts and Education. 4/2019. 49 – 67. https://doi.org/10.54916/rae.118895
Qureshi, A. (2015). The Traumatic Past. THAAP Journal. 199 – 203.
Qureshi, A. (2014). The Space of the Mughal Miniature. THAAP Journal. 68 – 76.
Other Publications
Qureshi, A. (2022) Dreaming about Heaven 58. ABJD and Tomorrow We Inherit The Earth. Sming Sming Books, California.
Qureshi, A. (2020). Notes on Marseille, Manifesta, and the Margins. Impossible Reader. Museum of Impossible Forms, Helsinki.
Qureshi, A. & Anagnostou, D. (2020). Mythological Migrations: On Collaborations, Organization, and Production. Six Years in the Third Space.
Qureshi, A. (2019). Reflections on Tom’s Men, Cadinot’s Harem, and Zulfikar’s Mussalmaan Musclemen. Mustekala.
Edited Journals
Co-edited with Mira Kallio-Tavin and Marie Andrée Godin. (2021, December). Critical Artistic Research as Practices of Care. Research in Art and Education. https://journal.fi/rae/issue/view/8030
Co-edited with Natasha Malik. (2021, June). Issue on The Creative Process: Critical Perspectives on Art, Research, and Education from Pakistan and Beyond. Research in Art and Education. https://journal.fi/rae/issue/view/8455
Art Writing – Selected
Qureshi, A. (2023, July 26). Review: Who Sings the Queer Island Body? by Kama La Mackerel. C Magazine.
Qureshi, A. (2017, July 7). Lala Rukh 1948 – 2017. The Daily Times Pakistan.
Qureshi, A. (2016, June 19). Review: Of Light and Shadows, Imran Qureshi at Barbican. Dawn Newspaper Pakistan.
Qureshi, A. (2015, April 26). Profile: Huma Mulji, Dawn Newspaper Pakistan.
Rajani, S. & Qureshi, A., (2015, March 22). Flashback: Milestones in Pakistani Art, Dawn Newspaper Pakistan.
Qureshi, A. (2015, February 08). Lala Rukh, all about proportion. Dawn Newspaper Pakistan.
Qureshi, A. (2014, November 16). Profile: Erosion, Faiza Butt. Dawn Newspaper Pakistan.
Sohail, A., Rizvi. N, Qureshi, A. & Rajani, S. (2014, November 16). Violence as a visual metaphor. Dawn Newspaper Pakistan.
Qureshi, A. (2014, February 02). My Mother’s Shawl. The News on Sunday, Pakistan.
Exhibition Catalogues and Artistic Contributions:
Qureshi, A. (2023). “I am not gay”. Sluice Magazine. Autumn/Winter 2023. 24-29.
Qureshi, A. (2018). Darkrooms: Retracing Childhood Memories. Peripeti, 15(29/30), 138-145. Hentet fra https://tidsskrift.dk/peripeti/article/view/109638
River in an Ocean – curated by Abdullah Qureshi and Natasha Malik, (2018). COLABS, Lahore, digital. (exhibition catalogue)
Open Field: Contemporary Art from Pakistan. (2016). Pakistan National Council of the Arts, Islamabad. (exhibition catalogue)
The story of myself and some friends in these fragments of daily loves – solo exhibition of Abdullah Qureshi. (2017). The National College of Arts, Lahore, Topical Printers, Lahore. (exhibition catalogue)
Wandering Forms – solo exhibition of Abdullah Qureshi. (2013). The Alhamra Arts Council, Lahore and The National College of Arts, Rawalpindi, Topical Printers, Lahore. (exhibition catalogue)
Qureshi, A. (2023, July 26). Review: Who Sings the Queer Island Body? by Kama La Mackerel. C Magazine.
Qureshi, A. (2017, July 7). Lala Rukh 1948 – 2017. The Daily Times Pakistan.
Qureshi, A. (2016, June 19). Review: Of Light and Shadows, Imran Qureshi at Barbican. Dawn Newspaper Pakistan.
Qureshi, A. (2015, April 26). Profile: Huma Mulji, Dawn Newspaper Pakistan.
Rajani, S. & Qureshi, A., (2015, March 22). Flashback: Milestones in Pakistani Art, Dawn Newspaper Pakistan.
Qureshi, A. (2015, February 08). Lala Rukh, all about proportion. Dawn Newspaper Pakistan.
Qureshi, A. (2014, November 16). Profile: Erosion, Faiza Butt. Dawn Newspaper Pakistan.
Sohail, A., Rizvi. N, Qureshi, A. & Rajani, S. (2014, November 16). Violence as a visual metaphor. Dawn Newspaper Pakistan.
Qureshi, A. (2014, February 02). My Mother’s Shawl. The News on Sunday, Pakistan.
Exhibition Catalogues and Artistic Contributions:
Qureshi, A. (2023). “I am not gay”. Sluice Magazine. Autumn/Winter 2023. 24-29.
Qureshi, A. (2018). Darkrooms: Retracing Childhood Memories. Peripeti, 15(29/30), 138-145. Hentet fra https://tidsskrift.dk/peripeti/article/view/109638
River in an Ocean – curated by Abdullah Qureshi and Natasha Malik, (2018). COLABS, Lahore, digital. (exhibition catalogue)
Open Field: Contemporary Art from Pakistan. (2016). Pakistan National Council of the Arts, Islamabad. (exhibition catalogue)
The story of myself and some friends in these fragments of daily loves – solo exhibition of Abdullah Qureshi. (2017). The National College of Arts, Lahore, Topical Printers, Lahore. (exhibition catalogue)
Wandering Forms – solo exhibition of Abdullah Qureshi. (2013). The Alhamra Arts Council, Lahore and The National College of Arts, Rawalpindi, Topical Printers, Lahore. (exhibition catalogue)
Conferences, Lectures & Workshops
Qureshi, A. (2023, October). Mela Jaloos as Counter-sites: Looking Toward Sufi Pasts and Queer Futures, Queer Failures, and Possibilities: Trans Movements in Contemporary South Asia at the 51st Annual Conference on South Asia, Madison.
Qureshi, A. (2022, June). Mythological Migrations: Chapter 2: The Darkroom. Arching Porn/Porning Archives panel at the Indexing Resistance: The Blood & Guts of Queer Protest in Canada, Toronto.
Qureshi, A. (2022, June). On Painting, Expanded Practice, and Collaborative Methodologies. Department of Fine Arts, Kinnaird College for Women University, Lahore.
Qureshi, A. (2022, April). Mythological Migrations: Imagining Queer Muslim Utopias. Ethnocultural Art Histories Research, Concordia University, Montreal.
Kallio-Tavin, M., Qureshi, A., Rahaa, S. (2022, March). Decolonizing artistic research and art education in Finland. National Art Education Association Conference, New York.
Qureshi, A. Rahaa, S. Helander, M. and Kallio-Tavin, M. (2021, January). Arts as a way of decolonizing knowledge. Keynote panel at the 20th Nordic Migration Research Conference & 17th ETMU Conference, Helsinki.
Raaha, S. Qureshi, A. & Bhangu, N. (2021, January). The Only Way Out is Through. Workshop at 20th Nordic Migration Research Conference & 17th ETMU Conference, Helsinki.
Qureshi, A. (2020, May). Mythological Migrations: The Artist as Curator – On Collaboration and Organization. Virtual seminar-workshop at Kibla, Maribor.
Qureshi, A. (2020, February). On the River, Rhythm, and Resistance. Paper presented at the 108th CAA Annual Conference, Chicago.
Qureshi, A. (2019, November). Traversing Darkrooms: The Lure Of The Glory Hole. Stonewall 50, Paper presented at Toronto Queer Film Festival Symposium, OCAD University, Toronto.
Qureshi, A. (2022, June). Mythological Migrations: Chapter 2: The Darkroom. Arching Porn/Porning Archives panel at the Indexing Resistance: The Blood & Guts of Queer Protest in Canada, Toronto.
Qureshi, A. (2022, June). On Painting, Expanded Practice, and Collaborative Methodologies. Department of Fine Arts, Kinnaird College for Women University, Lahore.
Qureshi, A. (2022, April). Mythological Migrations: Imagining Queer Muslim Utopias. Ethnocultural Art Histories Research, Concordia University, Montreal.
Kallio-Tavin, M., Qureshi, A., Rahaa, S. (2022, March). Decolonizing artistic research and art education in Finland. National Art Education Association Conference, New York.
Qureshi, A. Rahaa, S. Helander, M. and Kallio-Tavin, M. (2021, January). Arts as a way of decolonizing knowledge. Keynote panel at the 20th Nordic Migration Research Conference & 17th ETMU Conference, Helsinki.
Raaha, S. Qureshi, A. & Bhangu, N. (2021, January). The Only Way Out is Through. Workshop at 20th Nordic Migration Research Conference & 17th ETMU Conference, Helsinki.
Qureshi, A. (2020, May). Mythological Migrations: The Artist as Curator – On Collaboration and Organization. Virtual seminar-workshop at Kibla, Maribor.
Qureshi, A. (2020, February). On the River, Rhythm, and Resistance. Paper presented at the 108th CAA Annual Conference, Chicago.
Qureshi, A. (2019, November). Traversing Darkrooms: The Lure Of The Glory Hole. Stonewall 50, Paper presented at Toronto Queer Film Festival Symposium, OCAD University, Toronto.
Qureshi, A. (2019, October). Journey to the CharBagh. Presented film and conducted a seminar-workshop at Reconceiving the Museum Conference, Ateneum Art Museum, Helsinki.
Qureshi, A. & Bhangu, N. (2019, July). Where is the South Asian Artist in Europe? Conversation lecture at FAMU, Prague.
Qureshi, A. (2019, August). Participated in Archipelago: Map(s) of the Moving World. Center for Arts, Design, and Social Research, Helsinki.
Qureshi, A. (2019, June) Traversing darkrooms: the lure of the glory hole. Paper presented at Sustainable Geography – Geographies of Sustainability, The 8th Nordic Geographers Meeting, Trondheim.
Qureshi, A. (2019, May). Queer Dialogues, Attended the Sexuality Summer School, University of Manchester, Manchester.
Qureshi, A. (2019, January). Presented an overview of artistic, curatorial, and research practice as a Visiting Artist at the University of California, Irvine.
Qureshi, A. (2018, July). Carnal Desires. Paper presented at the 25th European Conference on South Asian Studies, Paris.
Qureshi, A. (2018, June). Artistic Perspectives on Gender, Sexuality, and Queerness in Muslim South Asia. Presented at LGBTIQ in Faith: situations, challenges, and opportunities Conference, Ministry of Justice Finland, Helsinki.
Qureshi, A. (2018, May). The (Queer) Struggle of Pakistan. Presented at 5th ABR&AR Conference, Tate, Liverpool.
Qureshi, A., (2017, September). Queer Investigations, Pakistan. Presented at ICRA conference, Amsterdam.
Qureshi, A. & Bhangu, N. (2019, July). Where is the South Asian Artist in Europe? Conversation lecture at FAMU, Prague.
Qureshi, A. (2019, August). Participated in Archipelago: Map(s) of the Moving World. Center for Arts, Design, and Social Research, Helsinki.
Qureshi, A. (2019, June) Traversing darkrooms: the lure of the glory hole. Paper presented at Sustainable Geography – Geographies of Sustainability, The 8th Nordic Geographers Meeting, Trondheim.
Qureshi, A. (2019, May). Queer Dialogues, Attended the Sexuality Summer School, University of Manchester, Manchester.
Qureshi, A. (2019, January). Presented an overview of artistic, curatorial, and research practice as a Visiting Artist at the University of California, Irvine.
Qureshi, A. (2018, July). Carnal Desires. Paper presented at the 25th European Conference on South Asian Studies, Paris.
Qureshi, A. (2018, June). Artistic Perspectives on Gender, Sexuality, and Queerness in Muslim South Asia. Presented at LGBTIQ in Faith: situations, challenges, and opportunities Conference, Ministry of Justice Finland, Helsinki.
Qureshi, A. (2018, May). The (Queer) Struggle of Pakistan. Presented at 5th ABR&AR Conference, Tate, Liverpool.
Qureshi, A., (2017, September). Queer Investigations, Pakistan. Presented at ICRA conference, Amsterdam.
Press
Refuge Worldwide: Abdullah Qureshi in conversation with Gloria Zein, Syowia Kyambi, Sara Khan, Natasha Jozi and Tasnim Baghdadi, 2022.
Art of the Working Class: Lukas Treiber, 2022.
Kone Foundation: Anna Tommola, 2021
AsiaArtPacific: Rebecca Close, 2019
Vice: Pallavi Pundir, 2019
Hyperallergic: Iman Sultan, 2019
ArtNow Pakistan: Veera Rustomji, 2019
Manshoor: Ismail Al-Bahar, 2018
Art of the Working Class: Lukas Treiber, 2022.
Kone Foundation: Anna Tommola, 2021
AsiaArtPacific: Rebecca Close, 2019
Vice: Pallavi Pundir, 2019
Hyperallergic: Iman Sultan, 2019
ArtNow Pakistan: Veera Rustomji, 2019
Manshoor: Ismail Al-Bahar, 2018
Philadelphia Gay News: Larry Nichols, 2018
Daily Times: Saulat Ajmal, 2018
Taz: Ingo Arend, 2018
San Francisco Chronicle: Ryan Kost, 2018
Youlin Magazine: Sana Shahid, 2017
Dawn: Saira Dar, 2017; Aziz Sohail, 2016; Atteqa Ali, 2015
The Herald: Iftikhar Dadi, 2017
The News: Qalandar Bux Memon, 2017; Ali Sultan, 2017
Daily Times: Saulat Ajmal, 2018
Taz: Ingo Arend, 2018
San Francisco Chronicle: Ryan Kost, 2018
Youlin Magazine: Sana Shahid, 2017
Dawn: Saira Dar, 2017; Aziz Sohail, 2016; Atteqa Ali, 2015
The Herald: Iftikhar Dadi, 2017
The News: Qalandar Bux Memon, 2017; Ali Sultan, 2017