Tahira Noreen (b. 1984, Islamabad, Pakistan. Lives and works in Islamabad). She Graduated with honours in painting from the prestigious National College of Arts, Lahore. Using wasli paper as a medium, Noreen’s work captures passage of time through meticulous blade cuts and sculptures, creating works that emphasise form, texture and interplay of light and shadow.
Her work has been exhibited at ‘MK Calling 2024’ MK Gallery, Milton Keynes (2024); Canvas Gallery, Karachi (2024); ‘Beyond Material, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, (2024); ‘Coincide’, Art Chowk Gallery Karachi (2023); ‘Dastaangoi Residency Show’ Dastaangoi Gallery, Islamabad (2022); ‘Through the Phases’ O Art Space, Lahore (2022); ‘Reprise’ Canvas Gallery Karachi (2022), among many others. Noreen was also a participating artist in ‘Creatives in Residence’ program in Hangzhou, China in 2012 and Dastangoi in Islamabad in October 2022.
Noreen is the recipient of the ADA Awards 2022-2023 in the category of 2D art. She has been shortlisted for TAF emerging artist award (2024). She was also honoured with the Curator’s Award for her work in ‘We Are All Here,’ an exhibition that explored the utilisation of maps and mapping in contemporary art (2020).
In addition to being a practising artist, Noreen has extensive teaching experience at Fatima Jinnah University and National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad.
CV
Born in 1984 In Punjab, Pakistan
Resides and works in Islamabad, Pakistan
Selected exhibitions:
2025 40 Dimensions, & Gallery, Edinburgh (upcoming)
2024 Edifice, O Art Space, Lahore
2024 Forms in Flow, Sanat Gallery, Karachi
2024 MK Calling 2024, MK Gallery, Milton Keynes
2024 Patterns, Canvas Gallery, Karachi
2024 Earth, Wind, Sky, Khaas Gallery, Islamabad
2024 Beyond Material, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai
2024 IAPEX Art, Pak China trade Center Expo, Islamabad.
2023 Coincide, ArtChowk Gallery,, Karachi
2022 Dastaangoi Residency show, Dastaangoi Gallery, Islamabad
2022 Through the Phases, O Art Space, Lahore
2022 Reprise Canvas Gallery, Karachi
2022 Paper Chase, Khaas Gallery, Islamabad
2022 An Ode to the City, Muse Gallery, Lahore
2021 The Point of Departure, Indus Valley School Gallery, Karachi
2021 Musings, O Art Space, Lahore,
2020 You are Here, an exhibition on maps and mapping in living artist’s work curated by Kate Trafeli/ James Stewart.
2019 Finalists Exhibition, CAGE Gallery, Barcelona
2019 1 x 1, Full Circle Gallery, Karachi
2019 1 x 1, Aqs Gallery/museum, Islamabad
2019 Dot. Line. Shape, Full Circle Gallery, Karachi
2018 The Art of Creation, Patchogue Art Center, New York
2018 Focus on Pakistan, Art rooms Fair, London
2014 Fresh, Amin Gulgee Gallery, Karachi
2013 Dualities, Rohtas Gallery, Lahore
2013 Two person Show, VM Art Gallery, Karachi
2012 Open Studios, Creatives in Residence, Sunhoo Design Park, Hangzhou, Zhejiang.
2009 Print More, Khaas Gallery, Islamabad.
Awards:
2024 Finalist, The Arts Family London, Emerging Art Prize London
2023 Winner ADA Awards 2022-2023, Architecture Design Art, Karachi
2020 Winner, Curator’s Award “You Are Here” curated by Kate Rafeli
2019 Finalist, Big Awards Barcelona, Cage/ Contemporary Art Gallery, Barcelona
Residencies:
2022 Dastaangoi Residency, Dastaangoi Gallery, Islamabad, Pakistan
2012 Creatives in Residence, Sunhoo Design Park, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
Selected press:
2024 Quddus Mirza, “Paper Possibilities” The News Sunday.
2024 Peerzada Salman, “Patterns Galore” in Dawn.
2024 Amna Nazir, 'Geometry, Incision, colour' in Dawn.
2024 The Arts Family London 'Finalist Artist Profile'
2024 Zunaira Quraishi, “Contemporary Art Exhibit” The Express Tribune.
2024 '‘Spero'' The Nation.
2022 Peerzada Salman, “Memory On Loop” Dawn.
2022 Farman Ali ‘‘Dastaangoi Residency Show'‘ Dawn.
2021 Marvi Malik '‘The Point of Departure'‘.
2021 Aasim Akhtar, “The Pleasure in Boredom” The News.
2020 Katmapped “You are here” review.
2018 Patchague Arts Council “The Art of Creation”
2013 Hifza Jillani 'Tale of the Two Cities'
2013 Sarwat Ali 'Celebrating Chaos' Dawn.
Education:
2004-2008: Bachelors in Fine Arts, National College of Arts, Lahore, Pakistan
Experience:
2019-2022: Visiting Lecturer, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan.
2009-2018: Lecturer, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan