Karachi, Pakistan

In her work and particularly in her recent production, Adeela Suleman faces themes tied to the dynamics of social life in contemporary Pakistani culture. Common cultural elements of the Indian subcontinent appear in her latest large sculptures, emphasizing that art as an existential dimension transcends the fixed borders and limits of society. An important problem which is often discussed in her works is formal ambiguity. On the one hand, Suleman’s work can be seen as containing innumerable meanings. On the other hand, they may simply be presented as self-referential objects.

Adeela Suleman works with found objects ranging from readymades such as cooking utensils, drain covers, screws, nails, bolts, and fasteners to bathroom fittings, shower heads, and water pipe chain connections. Daily objects multiplied and assembled, Suleman presents them in a new role as sculptural objects.

In her latest wall installations, however, she returns to natural organic forms which are less constructed and mimic more the detailed ornamental designs on beaten silver platters. At first glance, the faceless female figures - each accompanied by peacocks, dead birds or parrots - seem to be objects with an instant reading. A closer look though raises several questions. Suleman has mixed symbols of Western and Eastern mythologies to create these anonymous characters that can be described as one of her examinations of gender travails and equations, which she explores technically and conceptually at various levels.



place & year of birth
Karachi, Pakistan, 1970

featured galleries
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education
1999
BFA in Sculpture, with Distinction in Sculpture and over all distinction, Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, Karachi, Pakistan.

1995
MA in International Relations, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan.


solo exhibitions
2010
After all it’s always somebody else… Aicon Gallery, New York, USA.

2009
Canvas gallery, Karachi, Pakistan.

2008
Uncertainty - Rohtas Gallery, Lahore, Pakistan.
Preview - Canvas Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan.

2007
Confinement - Commune Artist Colony, Karachi, Pakistan.


group exhibitions
2010-
In Difesa - fondazione 107, Torino, Italy.
Svelando I’Utopia - Alberto Peola Arte Contemporanea, Torino, Italy.
Resemble reassemble - Devi Art Foundation, Delhi, India.

2009-
16 IVS Alumni Collective, IVS Gallery, IVSAA.
Hanging Fire - contemporary Art from Pakistan. Asia Society Museum, New York, USA.
Indian Art Summit. India’s Modern & Contemporary Art Fair. 22nd August, Delhi, India.
Different Drummer - IVS Gallery, Karachi.
Emperors new clothing - Talwar Gallery, New York, USA.
Steel Life - Curated by Elisabetta Pozzetti, La Triennale di Milano, Milan Italy.
Failing States - Two person show at Aicon Gallery, London, UK.
Going Places - Group show at Canvas Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan.
Dubai Art Fair, Aicon gallery booth. Dubai, UAE.
Starring the Artists - Self portraits from Paksitan, IVS Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan.
Pulse Contemporary art Fair. New York, USA.
Bologna Art Fair - Bologna, Italy.
Faculty Show 4- IVS Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan.

2008
Signs Taken for Wonders: Recent Art from India and Pakistan, Aicon Gallery, London, UK.
Farida Batool, Adeela Suleman and Tazeen Qayyum, Aicon Gallery, New York, USA.
15-IVS Alumni Collective - IVS Gallery, Indus Valley School of Art & Architecture, Karachi, Pakistan.
Tradition, Technique, Technology II - Contemporary artists from Pakistan, Aicon Gallery, Palo Alto, USA.
Pakistan show - Christies, King Street, London, UK.
Video Loop 08’ - Barcelona, Spain.
Fiera Internazionale d'Arte contemparanea International Exhibition of Contemporary Art, Bologna, Italy.
Women of Light - Galerie Davide Gallo, Berlin, Germany.

2007
Preview Berlin – The emerging art fair- Berlin, Germany.
An intensity of Space & Substance - National Art Gallery, August, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Love - National Art Gallery, August, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Articulating The Subtext - Alliance Francaise, Karachi, Pakistan.

2006
Flights of Fancy - Royaat Gallery, Lahore, Pakistan.
Body - Amin Gulgee Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan.
Calligraphy - Amin Gulgee gallery, Karachi, Pakistan.

2005
Urban/Culture - CP Open Biennale 2005. Jakarta, Indonesia.
Beyond Borders - National Gallery of Modern Art, Bombay, India.

2004
Spielen mit geladenem Gewehr (Playing with the loaded gun) - Kunsthalle Fridericianum Kassel, Germany.

2003
Twenty-four Shots per second - Kara Film Fest, Karachi, Pakistan.
43rd Premio Suzzara, Associazione galleria Del Premio Suzzara, Italy.
Playing with the loaded Gun, Apex Art, New York, USA.
Group Show - Canvas Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan.

2002
Imagined Workshop - 2nd Fukuoka Asian Art Triennale, Fukuoka, Japan.