Imran Qureshi’s work draws on the processes and iconography of Mughal miniature painting, a tradition which dates back over 400 years, and combines these with contemporary installation techniques. The resulting work ranges in scale from intricate paintings on wasli paper, a type of handmade paper specifically for painting miniatures, to towering, sculptural installations.
In recent years Qureshi has attracted international acclaim for his eloquent responses to some of the challenging and troubling issues of our age, and his firsthand experiences of terrorist acts in his home country of Pakistan. In spite of the horror of these acts, Qureshi’s work reflects a faith in a common humanity. At Newlyn, the exhibition begins with Breathing, a looped projection of gold leaf, a material that Qureshi often uses in his paintings. The upper gallery is dominated by a nine-metre long vitrine presenting The True Path, a concertinaed book in which he uses a sequence of dots to guide you through an earthly terrain symbolising life’s physical and spiritual challenges.