The COMO Museum of Art is hosting "Traces: Drawing Practices Now," a major group exhibition curated by Hassan Sheikh featuring 19 artists. The show explores the evolution of drawing from a preparatory medium into an independent, sophisticated art form. Notable participants include Ali Kazim, Muhammad Ali Talpur, and Ghulam Mohammad, whose works range from meticulous mark-making and subverted scripts to expressive, intuitive compositions that challenge traditional linguistic and visual codes.
This exhibition is significant because it highlights the shifting status of drawing within contemporary art discourse, particularly in the South Asian context. By positioning drawing as a final "arrival" rather than a preliminary sketch, the show elevates the medium's stature. The inclusion of artists who blend calligraphy, archival ink, and complex layering reflects a broader trend of using traditional techniques to address modern inquiries into memory, identity, and the mechanics of image-making.