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Quiet Acts of Defiance

Imran Qureshi’s Moderate Enlightenment (2006) reimagines Mughal miniature painting to reflect contemporary tensions. In this series, bearded men engage in everyday activities like reading, exercising, and blowing bubbles, rendered in delicate ink, gouache, and watercolor on washi paper. Their attire, often featuring camouflage patterns, challenges perceptions of religious identity and militancy. By portraying these figures in mundane contexts, Qureshi invites viewers to reconsider stereotypes and the complexities of modern Muslim life. The work employs a palette dominated by red, white, and blue, subtly referencing global political narratives. Moderate Enlightenment has been exhibited at institutions including [The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Sharjah Biennial,https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/500492].

Duration: 00:02:16

Tags: imran, qureshi, moderate, enlightenment, 11_401_qureshi_miniatures_0216_p14.mp4 imran qureshi is a pakistan artist. this movie shows moderate enlightenment. imran painted this series of portraits when he realized that after 9/11, the world insisted on segregating religious people. one form of segregation to which qureshi points in his work revolves around choices in clothing or activities. he notes that ’a religious person wearing camouflage socks is perceived as threatening, but in other cases, it is mere fashion.’