09 July,2026 09:19 AM IST | Mumbai | Shriram Iyengar
Under the Shadow of Another Sun, Masuma Halali Khwaja. Pics Courtesy/APRE Art House
Since it is the season, it is not far-fetched to admit that the first introduction of the exhibition at APRE Art House, Hunar, curated by Noor Ahmed, takes us back to Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey. Unlike her predecessors, Wilson gives the female characters of Homer's epic an agency through clothes, textile, and tapestry among other things. "Civilisations have not always advanced through technology or skill alone, but something deeper that runs through these skills," shares gallerist Prerna Jain.
A Courtier In Love, Marium Agha
This explanation makes sense when you learn that the title for the exhibition comes from the Allama Iqbal nazm, Din o Hunar (Faith and Skill); a poem in which Iqbal called for the synthesis of a moral vision with practical skill. Curator Ahmed (also curator of the Karachi Biennale 2027) brings with her four Pakistani artists in Marium Agha, Abid Aslam, Masuma Halali Khwaja, and Zahra Mansoor. The Indian tales of tapestry is showcased in Arienao Kera's works on the loom tradition of the North East.
Into Pieces II, Abid Aslam
"The textiles Kera uses highlights the knowledge of looming from the North East. Marium and Masuma work with tapestries, reworked, unravelled and given their own languages. Abid's work is about different applique techniques that are punched into the canvas using imprints, while Zahra's work, and presentation, is in muslin," shares Jain.
Prerna Jain
As such, these works speak to a deeper understanding of a civilisation that still binds its cultures. "In a time when identities are so fragmented, borders so pronounced, it is our attempt to bring the works together. The show talks about generational knowledge, the idea of a spiritual force in the craft that goes beyond craft," concludes Jain.
TILL August 7; 11.30 am to 8 pm (Tuesday to Sunday)
AT APRE Art House, 2nd floor, Arsiwala Mansion, Wodehouse Road, Colaba.
