The AICA Podcast, created and hosted by Mihaela Ion, is back with its second episode, featuring Niilofur Farrukh, a Karachi-based art interventionist and chair of AICA’s Censorship and Freedom of Expression Committee.
In this episode, we delve into the history of AICA in Pakistan, exploring how the country’s evolving socio-political landscape influences artistic expression and art criticism. We highlight the initiatives of AICA’s Censorship and Freedom of Expression Committee, which works to establish guidelines that support artists, cultural workers, and curators in navigating the challenges of limited freedom of speech, fostering a supportive environment for creative work in the face of censorship.
AICA, in collaboration with its international network, is actively developing a Censorship Toolkit to support cultural workers facing censorship challenges. In the podcast, Niilofur Farrukh presents a short version of the toolkit, which includes strategies for navigating censorship situations, highlights available resources, and promotes solidarity among artists, curators, art critics, and cultural practitioners.
This episode also focuses on the Karachi Biennale, exploring its rich cultural heritage and historical significance in the region. The discussion touches on the challenges the event has faced, including logistical and social hurdles, while highlighting the new curatorial concept that aims to reinforce the Biennale’s impact on both local and international art scenes. The Karachi Biennale, will open its doors to visitors on October 27 for two weeks and showcase art in five public spaces across Karachi.
About the Moderator: Mihaela Ion
Mihaela Ion holds a Ph.D. in History and is a curator, cultural manager, and art researcher based in Bucharest. Since 2021, she has been an AICA member and has served as an International Board Member since 2022, as well as being part of the Digital Strategies Committee. Over the past 17 years, she has presented papers on Communist Art, Cultural Wars, and contemporary artworks at leading conferences across Europe. Mihaela collaborates with several art galleries and museums throughout the continent. Her Ph.D. thesis focuses on the heritage of communist artworks. She has had the opportunity to work as a cultural manager in London with body>data>space and in Paris, Sélestat, Strasbourg, and Nancy during her Courants du Monde grant from the French Ministry of Culture. In 2010, she co-founded Atelierul Magazine, an active international online and offline platform fostering intercultural dialogue between design creators and the public.
About the Speaker: Niilofur Farrukh
Niilofur Farrukh is a Karachi-based art interventionist whose work has expanded the scope of art publication, curation, and public art in Pakistan. Primarily motivated by issues of decolonization and the intersections between political ideology and visual narrative, her writing focuses on excavating the interdisciplinary connections often lost in Pakistan’s complex cultural and political landscape. She is the author of three books, including her most recent publication, A Beautiful Despair: The Art and Life of Meher Afroz. Niilofur co-founded NuktaArt, Pakistan’s contemporary art magazine, and served as its founding editor for 10 years while it was in print. Her work has appeared in leading Pakistani and South Asian publications, and she is regularly invited to speak at conferences worldwide.
Niilofur has served two terms as Vice President on the Board of the International Art Critics Association and is the former Chair of the Election and Membership Committee. She currently chairs the Censorship and Freedom of Expression Committee, is a member of the FFC, and sits on the jury for the AICA Young Critic Award. In 2023, she was invited to serve on the jury for the Shanghai-based International Public Art Prize. Niilofur is a founding member of the Karachi Biennale Trust and has been its Managing Trustee since 2016. She currently serves as the CEO of the Karachi Biennale.