Zarmeene Shah

Biography

Since 2017, Zarmeene Shah has been Head of Liberal Arts at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture. With a research focus on contemporary art and continental and semiotic theory, she is particularly interested in performance and new media, the body, and the political in art.

Zarmeene completed her MA in Critical and Curatorial Studies at Columbia University, New York, in 2010. She has freelanced as a curator and critic, contributing to publications including The Herald Pakistan, ArtAsiaPacific, ArtReview and ArtReview Asia magazines. Her previous positions include Assistant Director & Curator at the Mohatta Palace Museum, Chief Curator of the IVS Gallery in Karachi, and Independent Consultant for South Asian Art for the CCA Derry – Londonderry.

Her curatorial work includes providing the conceptual and theoretical underpinning for exhibitions, planning exhibitions from conception to execution, and acting as liaison between gallery or institution and artist.

At the British Museum
During her time on the International Training Programme in 2015, Zarmeene was based in the Asia Department. Her UK Partner placement was spent with Manchester Museum, Manchester Art Gallery and Whitworth Art Gallery..

Zarmeene’s exhibition project proposal was entitled Culture and Conflict: the Woven Narrative of the Afghan War Rug.

Zarmeene’s place on the International Training Programme was generously supported by the Charles Wallace Pakistan Trust, the British Council and the Rangoonwala Foundation.