Biography

Dr. Wardah Naeem bukhari (b. 1988, Pakistan) (she/her) is a visual artist, art educator, and independent curator with expertise in the textiles of Southern Punjab.

Bukhari completed her Doctorate in Art History on June 23, 2021, from Punjab University, College of Art and Design, Lahore. The title of her Doctoral dissertation was “Thread Crafts of Multan in a Cultural Context”. In 2013, she acquired her M.A. Honors in Visual Art from the National College of Arts, Lahore, and received her Bachelor of Graphic Design from Multan College of Arts, Bahauddin Zakariya University in 2010. She joined a university as a permanent faculty member in 2020. Moreover, she has been an Assistant Professor in the Graphic Design Department of Lahore College for Women’s University since February 17, 2023.

She received the membership in the individual category of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) and artist membership in the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York, USA (2017–2024). She has traveled extensively and was invited for an artist talk at South Asian Women Collective, New York in 2016 and was selected for the International-Artist-In-Residence program in Arthub, Arizona in the following year. Got Top 10 Award- “Young at Art,” Alhamra’s 13th Annual Exhibition for Young Artists, Alhamra Art Gallery, The Lahore Arts Council (2017). Bestowed Gold Medal Award by Idara- Farogh-e Taleem at Governor House, Lahore (2020). She was invited to international conferences in Pendik, Istanbul in 2015. Bukhari was invited as Guest Curator of the first studio BQ Artist-in-Residence program in (2015).

She contributed two biographies in the Oxford Companion to Pakistani Art (2014) and wrote 10 articles in HEC-recognized “Y” category journals between 2019 to 2022 and one in the International Journal 2023 entitled Cultural Challenges in the Implementation of COVID-19 Public Health Measures, Part of book series, ICEST International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology: Sustainable Development p: 167–181.

Bukhari’s work is to recreate the existing image through a new visual language that incorporates a variety of themes and materials ranging from history, culture, everyday life, healing crafts, tradition, art, climate issues, and many more. Most of her art practice is based on a digital collage, videos, and sculptural installations. Multan is the oldest city in Southeast Asia and is a significant city in Pakistan for the tradition of thread crafts, which includes zardozi work on the bride’s wedding gown, thread embellishment on khussas, the pattoli skill used to tie necklaces, the traditional braid work of paranda, and hand-made embroidery. In her art practice, she employed a variety of threadcraft skills, some of which are mentioned above, from her hometown of Multan.

Bukhari has participated in more than fifty group exhibitions both in Pakistan and overseas: Bukhari has done four solo shows in Lahore and participated in several group exhibitions. These exhibitions includes the For You, With Love at Artsoch Contemporary, Lahore (2025), Reimagined Contemporary Art and Ecology at Fakir Khana Museum, Lahore (2024), 1st Material Art biennale, organized by Tsinghua University, Beijing (2023), China-Pakistan Educational Cultural Exchange International Art Exhibition in Pakistan organized by Institute of Design and Visual Art in Collaboration with Hebei Academy of Fine Arts, China (2023), BE (COMING) The Museum, Project of Canadian Community Arts Initiative in collaboration with Beacon-house National University, Lahore Museum, and Think-Fest, Lahore (2023), Fasle-Gul Group Exhibition in Fine Arts Department at University of Home Economics, Lahore (2023), 12th Fiber Art biennale, organized by Tsinghua University, Beijing (2022), Rang-e- Miras group show at Sargodha University (2022), Alhamra 3rd National Exhibition of Visual Arts (2021), Pakistani Art Exhibition organized by Embassy of Pakistan at Baku, Azerbaijan (2021), 5th Asia Triennial entitled as Love thy Neighbor, Manchester (2021), Virtual show at Khamsa Art (2020), Quranic Calligraphy Exhibition on eve of Eid Milad-un-Nabi by Faisalabad Arts Council, Faisalabad (2020), 2nd Karnaphuli Folk Triennial; Popular & Traditional Art, Bangladesh (2019), Nakanojo Biennale, Japan (2019), Apni duniya aap paida kar organized by Management House, Johar Town, Lahore (2019), Miraz-e-Qalam National Calligraphy Exhibition organized by Gujranwala Arts Council, Gujranwala.(2019), Karachi Art Festival organized by Nigaah Art Magazine, Karachi (2018), Lahore Biennale, Pakistan (2018), Lines in the Sand; Contemporary Art from Pakistan, Imago Mundi Project, Italy (2018), Solo Show Self-Obsessed at Taseer Art Gallery, Lahore (2018), Manzil; Traditional Crafts and Contemporary Adaptations at Koel Art Gallery, Karachi (2018), National Exhibition of Visual Arts at Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore Arts Council (2018), Street Art Competition Exhibition organized by Master Paints & Artistan, Sargodha (2018), National Painting, Calligraphy & Digital Painting Exhibition organized by Sialkot Arts Club, Sialkot (2018), Karachi Biennale, Pakistan (2017), Arjumand Award Show at Gallery 6, Islamabad (2017),She is bestowed for the “Best Artist of 2017 award” by Alhamra Art Council, Lahore, Quranic Calligraphy Exhibition on eve of Eid Milad-un-Nabi by Faisalabad Arts Council, Faisalabad (2017), 4th National Calligraphy Exhibition by Ghazali Education Trust and Lahore Art Council, Lahore (2017), Unity in Variety at Gabriel Fine Arts, London (2016), Making Sense of the Senses at The Centre for book Arts, Bronze Center, New York (2016), Post Contemporary Wave, Narrative Movement at Hoongly West Bengal (2016), Quranic Calligraphy Exhibition on eve of Eid Milad-un-Nabi by Faisalabad Arts Council, Faisalabad (2016), Monotony of life at Full Circle gallery, Karachi (2016), Meraki at 39 K Gallery, Model Town, Lahore (2015), Non Objective at Full Circle Art Gallery, Karachi (2015), Creative Script at Ejaz Art Gallery, Lahore (2015), 2nd Solo Metaphors at Hamail Art Gallery, Lahore.(2014), Pakistani Art in Yorkshire at Batley School of Art & Design- Kirkles College, Bradford (2014), Revelation at Ejaz Art Gallery, Lahore (2014), Master Pieces at Alhamra Arts Council, Lahore (2014), Darbar-e-fun at Alhamrah Arts Council, Lahore (2014), National Group Exhibition’ at Lahore School of Economics, Lahore (2012), Stop Violence against Women organized by Taangh Wasaib Organization (2012), Thesis Show at National College of Art, Lahore (2012), Thesis Show at Multan College of Arts, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan (2010), Art Exhi at Multan Arts Council, Multan (2009), South Punjab Expo at Multan Cricket Club Ground, Multan (2009), International Mango Festival at Shah-Jahan Hotel, Multan (2008), Art and Calligraphy Competition in Punjab (2000).