ISLAMABAD: A retrospective exhibition featuring Balochistan’s cultural memory through paintings, sculpture and traditional craft opened at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) on Thursday in tribute to the lifelong work of veteran artist and sculptor Akram Dost Baloch.

The exhibition was inaugurated by Jordanian Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Maen Khreasat and organised by Nomad Gallery in collaboration with PNCA. Artists, diplomats and art enthusiasts gathered for the opening ceremony.

The show brought together more than four decades of work by the senior artist, whose art has long reflected the culture and lived realities of Balochistan.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Khreasat praised Akram Dost Baloch’s contribution to art and culture, saying artists of his stature deserved recognition.

“Mr Baloch is a great artist whose work reflects the country’s rich heritage and culture, and such artists should be recognised,” he said.

Curator and Nomad Gallery founder Nageen Hyat termed the retrospective a documentation of memory and resistance.

“Through Akram Dost Baloch’s paintings and sculptures, we see Balochistan not as a periphery, but as the centre of story, craft and human dignity,” she said.

Ms Hyat said the artist’s work had helped preserve the cultural narratives of Balochistan at a time when many such stories remained under-documented.

“His ‘Identity’ series reminds us that art is how a people remember themselves,” she added.

Walking through the galleries, visitors encountered works inspired by traditional Balochi embroidery, weaving and wood carving, blended with contemporary visual language. Much of the work carried muted tones and stark landscapes, reflecting both the harshness and resilience of life in the province.

One of the highlights of the exhibition was the artist’s acclaimed “Identity” series, which portrays the people and traditions of Balochistan while exploring questions of belonging and cultural memory.

Akram Dost Baloch, from Balochistan’s Nushki district, is regarded as one of the pioneering figures in art education in the province. He is a graduate of the National College of Arts, Lahore, and was among the founding faculty members of the Fine Arts Department at the University of Balochistan, where he later served as chairperson.

Over the years, he has exhibited internationally, including in Paris and at the Asian Art Biennale in Bangladesh. In 2004, he received the Pride of Performance award for his contribution to art and culture.

The exhibition also highlighted Akram Dost Baloch’s academic contributions, including his doctoral research on traditional Baloch embroidery patterns and handicrafts.

For many visitors, the retrospective served as both an artistic experience and a rare visual archive of Balochistan’s cultural landscape, one shaped not through headlines or politics alone, but through colour, craft and memory.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2026