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‘Fine Lines’
Sep 2021 - May 2022

Feature image: An installation view of ‘Fine Lines’, QAG, March 2022 / Photograph: N Harth, QAGOMA

‘Fine Lines’ showcased a selection of historical Indian miniature paintings alongside those by contemporary artists. The exhibition traces the application of meticulous brushwork across a number of countries and range of pictorial styles.

Emerging more than two millennia ago in Han dynasty China (202 BCE – 220 CE), the delicate technique known as gongbi (meticulous brush) was prized for its technical precision. Its influence flowed across central Asia to Persia, and India where the technique was used to document historical events and to illustrate legendary and poetic tales.

 

This rich cultural inheritance, spanning the breadth of the Asian landmass continues to provide a fertile source of inspiration for artists exploring figuration and narrative in a contemporary context.

‘Fine Lines’ was on display in QAG’s Gallery 6 (Henry and Amanda Bartlett Galleries) from 25 September 2021 to 22 May 2022. Below, in a non-exhaustive list of works, explore highlights from this exhibition.


Feature image: An installation view of ‘Fine Lines’, with works from Kalu Ram’s ‘Many Lives Lived’ series in the foreground, QAG, March 2022 / © The artists / Photograph: N Harth, QAGOMA

Collection artworks featured in ‘Fine Lines’

Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Company painting of an entertainer with monkeys and goats 1780-86
Artwork Cycle of Life #01 this artwork made of Gouache on paper, created in 1970-01-01

Cycle of Life #01 1970s
Artwork Cycle of Life #02 this artwork made of Gouache on paper, created in 1970-01-01

Cycle of Life #02 1970s
Artwork Cycle of Life #05 this artwork made of Gouache on paper, created in 1970-01-01

Cycle of Life #05 1970s
Artwork Many Lives Lived #75 this artwork made of Gouache on paper, created in 1970-01-01

Many Lives Lived #75 1970s
Artwork Many Lives Lived #76 this artwork made of Gouache on paper, created in 1970-01-01

Many Lives Lived #76 1970s
Artwork Many Lives Lived #77 this artwork made of Gouache on paper, created in 1970-01-01

Many Lives Lived #77 1970s
Artwork Penguin road this artwork made of Chinese ink and watercolour on silk, created in 1999-01-01

Penguin road 1999
Artwork Koala place this artwork made of Chinese ink and watercolour on silk, created in 1999-01-01

Koala place 1999
Artwork Panda park this artwork made of Chinese ink and watercolour on silk, created in 1999-01-01

Panda park 1999
Artwork Presentation this artwork made of Gouache, gold leaf on wasli paper, created in 1998-01-01

Presentation 1998
Artwork Beware the buyer II this artwork made of Gouache, gold leaf, photo transfer on tea-stained wasli paper, created in 1999-01-01

Beware the buyer II 1999
Artwork The scholar this artwork made of Gouache, gold leaf on wasli paper, created in 1999-01-01

The scholar 1999
Artwork Conversations II this artwork made of Gouache and gold leaf on wasli paper, created in 2001-01-01

Conversations II 2001
Artwork Afterthoughts this artwork made of Gouache and silver leaf on wasli paper, created in 2001-01-01

Afterthoughts 2001
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Holy matrix 2005
Artwork Coming up next this artwork made of Gouache on wasli paper, created in 2001-01-01

Coming up next 2001
Artwork Visible/invisible this artwork made of Gouache on wasli paper, created in 2003-01-01

Visible/invisible 2003
Artwork Visible/invisible this artwork made of Gouache on wasli paper, created in 2003-01-01

Visible/invisible 2003
Artwork Untitled (from 'Rustam-e-pardar (Rustam with wings)' series) this artwork made of Watercolour and ink on wasli paper, created in 2006-01-01

Untitled (from 'Rustam-e-pardar (Rustam with wings)' series) 2006
Artwork Untitled (from 'Rustam-e-pardar (Rustam with wings)' series) this artwork made of Watercolour and ink on wasli paper, created in 2006-01-01

Untitled (from 'Rustam-e-pardar (Rustam with wings)' series) 2006
Artwork Untitled (from 'Rustam-e-pardar (Rustam with wings)' series) this artwork made of Watercolour, ink, gold and silver leaf on wasli paper, created in 2006-01-01

Untitled (from 'Rustam-e-pardar (Rustam with wings)' series) 2006
Artwork Untitled (from 'Rustam-e-pardar (Rustam with wings)' series) this artwork made of Watercolour, ink, gold and silver leaf on wasli paper, created in 2006-01-01

Untitled (from 'Rustam-e-pardar (Rustam with wings)' series) 2006
Artwork Untitled (from 'Rustam-e-pardar (Rustam with wings)' series) this artwork made of Watercolour, ink and gold leaf on wasli paper, created in 2006-01-01

Untitled (from 'Rustam-e-pardar (Rustam with wings)' series) 2006
Artwork Untitled (from 'Rustam-e-pardar (Rustam with wings)' series) this artwork made of Watercolour, ink and gold leaf on wasli paper, created in 2006-01-01

Untitled (from 'Rustam-e-pardar (Rustam with wings)' series) 2006
Artwork Miniature with rose petals this artwork made of Rose petals with wax varnish on paper, created in 2003-01-01

Miniature with rose petals 2003
Artwork Miniature with bougainvillea petals 1 this artwork made of Bougainvillea petals with wax varnish on paper, created in 2004-01-01

Miniature with bougainvillea petals 1 2004
Artwork Miniature with bougainvillea petals 2 this artwork made of Bougainvillea petals with wax varnish on paper, created in 2004-01-01

Miniature with bougainvillea petals 2 2004
Artwork Miniature with alstromerea petals 1 this artwork made of Alstromerea petals with wax varnish on paper, created in 2003-01-01

Miniature with alstromerea petals 1 2003
Artwork Miniature with alstromerea petals 2 this artwork made of Alstromerea petals with wax varnish on paper, created in 2003-01-01

Miniature with alstromerea petals 2 2003
Artwork Miniature with maiden hair fern leaves this artwork made of Maiden hair fern leaves with wax varnish on paper, created in 2004-01-01

Miniature with maiden hair fern leaves 2004
Artwork Rota Fortunae this artwork made of Gouache and pencil on paper, created in 2018-01-01

Rota Fortunae 2018
Artwork In signs this artwork made of Gouache, metallic paint and pencil on paper, created in 2018-01-01

In signs 2018
Artwork Hark this artwork made of Gouache, metallic paint and pencil on paper, created in 2018-01-01

Hark 2018
Artwork Local circus I this artwork made of Pigments on wasli paper, created in 2007-01-01

Local circus I 2007
Artwork Local circus III this artwork made of Pigments on wasli paper, created in 2007-01-01

Local circus III 2007
Artwork Untitled 3 (from 'Lahore' series) this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint on canvas on aluminium, created in 2015-01-01

Untitled 3 (from 'Lahore' series) 2015
Artwork Untitled 11 (from 'Lahore' series) this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint on canvas board, created in 2013-01-01

Untitled 11 (from 'Lahore' series) 2013
Artwork My father this artwork made of Single-channel video (monitor) on DVD (MPEG-2): 4:3, 2:09 minutes, looped, silent, colour, created in 2010-01-01

My father 2010

Related digital stories

Feature image: An installation view of ‘Fine Lines’, QAG, March 2022 / Photograph: N Harth, QAGOMA
DIDACTIC

DIDACTIC: ‘Fine Lines’

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