Naiza H Khan
Khan, trained at the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, has shepherded a generation of rising artists. Her works have been shown at the 2012 Shanghai Biennale, and was the 2013 Prince Claus Laureate, an award that honours outstanding achievements in the field of culture and development.
Violence is part of daily life in Pakistan, where TV stations regularly ambush viewers with news on the latest bombings, and where sirens and screeching ambulances are often heard racing through the streets after attacks.
These things no longer surprise anyone, nor does the constant sight of flashing television bulletins reporting how many have died after the latest drone strike. This is not to say that Pakistan’s 192 million people are apathetic – but most have found ways to block out the violence.
Yet some Pakistani artists have not been able to tune out the din of drone-strike deaths, and have instead chosen to address the issue head-on in their work. This art has urgency, a sense of purpose with specific intent: To be part of the dialogue on national identity and the future of the country.
Al Jazeera spoke with four prominent artists whose work chronicles drone attacks and the effects of violence on the Pakistani psyche.