Waheeda Baloch appointed curator for 4th Karachi Biennale

The Karachi Biennale Trust (KBT) has announced that Jamshoro-based Waheeda Baloch has been appointed as the curator of the fourth Karachi Biennale KB24, scheduled to take place in October 2024. She will be Karachi Biennale’s first woman curator.

Waheeda’s personal journey and diverse experience give her unique perspective and ability. Born in MirpurKhas, the home of generations of talented artists, Waheeda has been linked to literary circles through her family. Her curatorial practice is enriched by her experiences as an art educator and a performance artist, according to a press release issued by the KBT on Wednesday.

Currently, Waheeda is working as an associate professor at the Institute of Art and Design, Sindh University, and is enrolled as a PhD candidate at the University of Bonn, Germany. She holds a Master’s Degree in Curation from the Stockholm University, Sweden, which she pursued after a Master in Fine Arts from the Sindh University.

Waheeda is the founder curator of ArtFest Karachi, held at Sambara Art Gallery. The framework for this annual exhibition that has created a space for dialogue, both artistic and discursive, among Pakistani artists was conceptualized by her for this non-profit gallery. She also has other national and international shows to her credit.

With a special interest in exchanges around art history and art theory, she regularly organises panels and seminars and presents research papers at national and international seminars. Her articles appear regularly in books and periodicals.

Niilofur Farrukh, CEO and managing trustee of the KBT, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Waheeda Baloch. Over the years, her persistent efforts to give visibility to artists working in peripheral spaces in Sindh, has made her an influential voice in the field. Keenly interested in furthering art research, her interdisciplinary and collaborative lens is always focused on new interpretations.

KB, with its mandate to showcase art that questions the times and provides a platform for the experimental, is looking forward to working with her to achieve our objectives.”

The Karachi Biennale Trust (KBT) was founded, in 2016, by a group of art professionals and educators as a platform to promote creativity, innovation and criticality in the visual arts. The Karachi Biennale (KB), the largest international contemporary art event of Pakistan, is the flagship project of the KBT.