Celebrating the Arts & Crafts of Pakistan

In 2017, Interwood was awarded the opportunity to furnish and design the interior of the Islamabad International Airport. In addition to providing a variety of customized furnishing solutions for the domestic & international terminals, the interior also features larger-than-life art installations from some of Pakistan’s most contemporary artists, offering visitors a vibrant glimpse into the rich arts, crafts & heritage of Pakistan. Meticulously curated by multi-disciplinary artist, Ms. Noorjehan Bilgrami, ‘The Art Project’ features a variety of traditional art forms such as paintings, sculptures, ceramics, stone & glass work, truck art and more from renowned artists such as Imran Qureshi, Aisha Khalid, Meher Afroze, Adeela Suleman, Amin Gulgee as well as a range of emerging Pakistani artists.

Discover more about the Islamabad Airport project here.

Click each artwork below to learn more about its artist and origins.

You are the Universe in Ecstatic Motion – Aisa Khalid (Acrylic and imitation gold leaf on canvas)
This piece features selected verses from the Quran that are recited before embarking on a journey. The artist has applied Kufic Calligraphy in gold for rendering these verses. Conceptually, the gold geometric lines describe the act of traveling and the circular vortex patterns denote constant motion, while brilliant jewel-like colors engage the viewer.
Pages of Perfection - Imran Qureshi (Emulsion, acrylic paint, 24-carat gold leaf & silkscreen on canvas
Pages of Perfection, inspired by the Quranic verses of Surah Al-Qadar (the Night of Power), is to date the largest mural painting by the internationally acclaimed artist. This work's visual layout is based on the idea of 'Unfolded pages of an Islamic Manuscript' where the artist's approach is to create visual impact by referring to the aesthetics of Mughal ornamentation and color palette, that are used in Quranic manuscripts and traditional Mughal miniature painting.
Birds in Flight - Irfan Hakim (120 brass birds)
The element of metal lends itself to Irfan Hakim's interpretation of the fabled bird. Ababeel. Irfan began with a brass sheet that was hammered and textured. Every piece was then fashioned by hand. As passengers reach their destination at the airport, the birds in the installation are a signifier of voyages to come.
After All it's Always Somebody Else who Dies (Series) - Adeela Suleman (Stainless steel)
Violence became part of our local landscape. The artist’s interest grew in the tension between the natural beauty and ever present violence and chaos that seem to be a permanent fixture of our shared humanity, cultures, religions and history itself.
Chitarkari, Sirikot, KPK - Ustad Aurangzeb & Mohammad Rustum (Schist)
Chitarkari (schist or slate engraving) was practiced in the villages of the Gangar mountain range. The craft took the form of elaborately carved tombstones, employing a rich repertory of symptoms to denote the age, sex, social status and other attributes of the deceased.
Kashikari, Multan, Punjab - Ustad Mohammad Wajid (Un/glazed terracotta)
Kashikari refers to the traditional architectural ceramics and vessel forms produced in the region. The ceramic panel is based on kashikari found in tombs, shrines and mosques in Multan and uses 3,500 glazed and unglazed pieces.
Naqashi, Multan, Punjab - Ustad Abdul Rahman Naqqash (Wood, oil paints, lacquer)
Naqashi, one of the distinctive crafts of Multan, refers to painting on walls, wood and leather. The Naqash works with a fine brush (qalam), made from squirrel's hair. Floral and geometric patterns are widely used, along with calligraphy.
Carved Stone, Karachi, Sindh - Raza Mohammad Burfat, Sobdar Lashari, Qurban Channo, Yar Mohammad Burfat & Salman (129 Gadap stones)
The necropolis of Makli, Sindh, is one of the largest in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Sandstone slabs were intricately carved by craftsmen to make the elaborate Makli tombs. dating back to the 14th-18th centuries. The airport panels in Gadap stone adapt its design vocabulary with rosettes, circular patterns and motifs.
Naqashi, Peshawar, KPK - Ustad Khadim Hussain, Roohul Amin, Mukhtiar Ahmed, Asif Mushtaq & Jamil (Copper & brass)
Metalwork is an ancient craft dating back to the Neolithic age. Craftsmen whose skills are linked to generations of skilled metalworkers can still be found in the city of Peshawer and the villages of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The work is done by hand, the metal first hand-beaten to shape it, then engraved with floral patterns and arabesques.
Antique Doors, Talagang, Punjab - Unknown Artist
Pakistan has a rich tradition of wood-carving. From Shikarpur, Sindh, in the south, to Chiniot in Punjab and Swat in the northern areas, wooden doors, columns and jharokas (balconies) are painstakingly carved by hand using sheesham (Indian rosewood) and walnut wood.
Baloch Carpets, Balochistan - Unknown Artist
The art of carpet weaving and designing can be traced back to the strong tradition of textile weaving in the region. Every knot in these carpets is tied by hand. They have a rich colour palette and are decorated by geometric forms that may at times be combined with floral motifs.
Rising Sun of Mehrgarh - Fahim Rao (Brass)
Mehrgarh, (ca.7000-2500 BC), located in the province of Balochistan, is one of the most important Neolithic sites in South Asia. Excavations have unearthed a civilization here that predates the Indus Valley Civilization. The Rising Sun is identified as the ensign of Mehrgarh.
Naqashi (Fresco) Mural, Lahore, Punjab - Ustad Rafaqat Ali, Basharat Ali, Sharafat Ali & Majid Khan (Lime, marble powder, zinc, water-based pigments)
Fresco is the art of painting on wet plaster with water-based pigments. Magnificent examples of the work of fresco craftsmen of Mughal times can still be found on the fabled Wazir Khan mosque, the Lahore Fort and residences in the Walled City of Lahore. Floral designs, fruit and geometric patterns are rendered with great skill and delicacy, and the skill of the craftsman is transferred from father to son.
Sheeshakari, Lahore, Punjab - Ustad Rafaqat Ali (Mirror with gypsum, lim and powdered seashells)
The Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors) at the Lahore Fort, built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jehan in the 17th Century, is a magnificent example of Sheeshakari. In this complex craft, convex mirrors (sheesha) are set into stucco to form a mosaic.
Salt Screen I - Amin Gulgee (Copper)
"There must be something strangely sacred in salt. It is in our tears and in the sea." - Kahlil Gibran.
Persian Verses by Allama lqbal I, II, III - Syed Shah Abdullah Alamee
Pakistan’s national poet Allama lqbal wrote in Persian and Urdu. The verses illustrated by the artist are derived from three Persian ghazals from his Kolyat-i-lqbal. The calligraphic style is known as Siyah Qalam that the artist learned from traditional masters in Iran. The composition is based on verses that are translated in Urdu.
Kashikari Doorway, Nasserpur, Sindh - Ghulam Hyder Daudpota, Amjad Ali Daudpota & Imran Ali Daudpota (Glazed and unglazed terracotta)
Kashikari refers to traditional architectural ceramics. In Pakistan, its main centres are Hala, Nasserpur and Multan. The design of the ceramic panel is based on the original kashikari found in tombs, shrines and mosques in Multan. Approximately 3,500 big and small, glazed and unglazed pieces have been used to create the panel. It was produced at the sixth generation Kashigar, Ustad Mohammed Wajid's family workshop in Multan.
Untitled (Ruins Series) - Ali Kazim (Acrylic on canvas)
The painting constitutes a part of an ongoing project titled ‘Ruins’. The artist has been frequenting the site of an ancient mound located on the old path of the river Ravi near Lahore. Local communities use this site as a burial ground. There is the shrine of a saint built on the site where an annual festival is held to celebrate his life. Over the years, monsoon rains have washed over the site uncovering pottery shards in the sandy remains.
Baazgasht - Meher Afroze (Acrylic on canvas)
In this work, artist Meher Afroze reflects upon man’s innate search for truth, and the pathway provided by the mysti symbol ‘hu’. It is the name of Almighty Allah and it is matchless in its magnificence, all pervading. It gives man true direction in his quest for the Supreme Truth.
Colorful festival at Chananpir, Cholistan - Zafar Ahmed (Photography)
The annual festival of Chananpir draws thousands of devotees to his ancestral village in the Cholistan desert.
Civilization - Amean J (Photography printed on canvas)
Built around 2,500 B.C., Moen Jo Daro is one of the world’s earliest urban settlements of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization.
Coast - Amean J (Photography printed on canvas)
1,046 kilometers of the Arabian Sea coastline stretches from India on its west, all the way to Iran to its east.
Truck Art Mural - Various artists (Truck art)
Truck art is a homegrown art form in South-Asia. In Pakistan, the form is marked by intense floral patterns and poetic calligraphy

Project Credits: Curator Ms. Noorjehan Bilgrami; Curatorial Team: Naazish Ataullah (Fine Arts), Munawar Ali (Truck Art), Sadia Salim (Ceramics); Coordination, Sourcing & Installation: lnterwood Project Director (Interwood): Mr. Qasim Maqbool Principal Architects: Mr. Syed Yawar Abbas Jilani, Ms. Mahboob Khan; Art Committee Members: President DG CAA, Mr. Asim Suleman, Air Marshal Rtd.; Secretary: Director Planning 8, Development, Mr. Nadir Shafi Dar; Coordinator Deputy Director (Design): Mr. M. Taseer Hussain’ Members: Mrs. Nazish Ataullah, Mr. Jamal Shah, Ms. Nadia N. Qureshi; Photographer Credit: Mohammad Aamir Razzaq.