Salima Hashmi Explores Changing Artistic Visions of Jinnah at Quaid-e-Azam House Museum
Salima Hashmi discusses Jinnah’s artistic legacy at the Quaid-e-Azam House Museum in Karachi.
Celebrated artist, curator and human rights advocate Salima Hashmi explored the changing artistic interpretations of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah during a multimedia lecture at the Quaid-e-Azam House Museum (QAHM) in Karachi.
Titled Reimagining Jinnah – Artists Speak, the presentation brought together history, politics and visual arts. Artists, poets, actors, academics, media representatives and civil society members attended the event.
Hashmi, daughter of renowned poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz, traced how Pakistani artists have portrayed and reinterpreted Jinnah over nearly eight decades. She examined the relationship between artistic expression and the country’s changing political and social landscape.
Art Reflects Political and Social Change
Hashmi observed that periods of civic crisis and political uncertainty often inspire powerful creative responses. She explained how turbulent governance and social divisions can encourage artists to challenge established narratives through their work.
Her presentation showcased changing visual representations of Jinnah across generations. She also highlighted the originality of her younger students, whose interpretations continue to question and reshape his artistic legacy.
The lecture concluded with an engaging discussion, allowing attendees to reflect on the relationship between art, national identity and Jinnah’s enduring place in Pakistan’s public imagination.
Cultural Leaders Attend Museum Event
QAHM Senior Vice Chairman Liaquat Merchant opened the evening with welcoming remarks. Ameena Saiyid, a member of the museum’s Board of Governors, introduced the keynote speaker.
Ikram Sehgal delivered the concluding observations, bringing the proceedings to a close.
The distinguished audience included Noorjehan and Akeel Bilgrami; Dr Yaqoob Bangash, Dean at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA); Khushbakht Shujaat; Khalid Awan of TCS; Professor Stephen Lyon and Dr Ather Imam of Aga Khan University; and Nadia Ghani, Publishing Director at Lightstone Publishers.
Museum Promotes Critical Cultural Dialogue
Through events such as this lecture, the Quaid-e-Azam House Museum continues to encourage public discussion about Jinnah’s vision, Pakistan’s evolving identity and the country’s place in the world.
The programme highlighted the role of artists in examining national history and questioning how public figures are represented across generations. It also reinforced the museum’s role as a space for cultural exchange, historical reflection and intellectual engagement.
