Written by: Muhammad Hamza
Posted on: May 08, 2026 | 
Evening by Wazir Khan
Creative Currents III is a lively group exhibition at Ejaz Art Gallery in Lahore. It brings together young artists who have recently graduated from the National College of Arts. These artists turn their personal stories, memories and observations into powerful visual works. Their pieces feel fresh and honest. They explore ideas like identity, memory, nature and everyday life in simple yet profound ways.
The exhibition feels like a conversation between many different currents of thought. Each artist adds their own flow of ideas. Viewers can see how these young creators experiment with colors, textures, and forms. Their works invite us to slow down and look closer. Let us meet some of these talented artists and explore one special artwork from each.
The whole exhibition has been curated by Maria Chaudhary, and her skillful curation has brought together a collection of artworks and artists that truly resonate throughout the space. She has carefully presented the artworks in a way that highlights the subtle elements within each artist’s practice. Her observant eye encourages viewers to engage much more deeply than usual.
Alailta Hyder uses soft watercolor to blend faces with nature. In her piece, birds fly across a dreamy background. Human faces and bird forms melt together in gentle washes of color. The edges are unclear, as if everything is changing slowly. This creates a quiet feeling of connection between people and the world around them. The emerging wings in her pieces truly speak volumes about her heightened thoughts soaring through mind and body.
The Riffle Says, It’s Still Our Land by Alailta Hyder
Her work reminds us that our presence in the landscape is never fixed. It shifts like water or memory. The soft colors and flowing lines make the painting feel peaceful and mysterious at the same time.
Hania Batool paints city scenes at night. One of her works shows a quiet street with soft lights and dark shadows. Buildings and trees stand under a deep sky. She layers colors carefully to capture how familiar places look different after dark. The scene feels both calm and slightly strange.
The blushing, bold strokes that wander across her sheet truly encapsulate the essence of rendering a thought through pigment. Everyday spots become theatrical. Her painting mixes realism with loose brushwork. It shows how memory and real life blend when we walk through empty streets. The warm and cool tones create a mood that feels personal and reflective, a gentle reminder of places that once felt like home.
Blood on a Clean Sheet by Hania Batool
Faatima Aamir creates soft, foggy mixed media pieces. One artwork shows two figures standing close together in a misty space. The forms are not sharp. They almost disappear into the background. Layers of texture and gentle colors give a feeling of closeness and distance at once. Her work explores how people carry hidden inner worlds. We see only parts of them from the outside. The quiet mood and blurred edges make the piece feel tender and emotional. It speaks about vulnerability and the gentle strength found in soft connections.
Barira Khan draws dreamy landscapes full of trees and soft light. In one painting, tall trees rise against colorful skies. A small path or stream flows gently through the scene. She uses watercolor and gouache to build rich layers. Flowers and leaves add spots of brightness. The work feels like a memory of travel or a quiet dream. Barira often rides a motorcycle across Pakistan, and her art captures the freedom and changing views of those journeys. The painting invites us to step into a peaceful world where nature feels alive and full of stories.
ندی by Barira Khan
Muhammad Usman Ali
Muhammad Usman Ali works with dots and delicate ink. His diptych shows two soft blue cloud-like forms side by side. The marks build slowly to create shapes that appear and fade. From a distance, the image looks abstract. Up close, we begin to see possible forms and patterns. His art comes from a childhood habit of finding pictures in random things. The viewer becomes part of the process. We look and discover our own meanings. The calm blue tones feel meditative and open. They invite slow looking and personal imagination.
Insia Mehdi paints simple flower still lifes with great care. In her chosen work, white flowers stand in a glass jar. The petals look soft and full of life. Green leaves add freshness against a plain background. She observes these everyday objects with love and patience. The painting feels warm, like a quiet moment at home. Insia finds beauty in ordinary things that surround us. Her gentle brushwork and soft colors turn a simple vase of flowers into something meaningful. It celebrates care, closeness, and the small joys of daily life.
Hana by Insia Mehdi
Shakaib Ahmed paints powerful abstract seascapes. One piece shows dark waves moving under a light sky. Thick and thin layers of paint create energy and depth. The water looks alive and restless. Another related work captures similar wave motion with strong brush strokes. His paintings feel urgent and emotional. They explore time, change, and the power of nature. Shakaib brings a printmaker’s sense of surface and texture to his painting. The result is bold and touching at the same time. Viewers can feel the movement and mood in every mark.
Sheharbano Hussain paints city views in soft gouache. In her work, tall buildings rise against a pale sky. The city sits quietly above an open, empty land with a few small trees. The colors are gentle and the forms feel thoughtful. Sheharbano thinks about how cities and landscapes change over time. Her painting captures the feeling of growth and movement in urban life. The quiet composition makes us think about how places shape who we are. It feels like a peaceful moment of watching the horizon and wondering about the future.
Displaced Boundaries by Sheharbano Hussain
Wazir Khan creates colorful landscapes that touch the heart. In one large painting, the sun sets over wide blue water. The sky glows with orange and pink. Green and yellow fields stretch in front with small bright flowers. The scene feels full of hope and peace. Wazir paints both people and places with bold colors and expressive strokes. He comes from Loralai. His work connects personal feelings with larger ideas about being human. This sunset painting celebrates ordinary beauty and invites us to feel calm, grateful, and connected to nature.
Sheheryar Hussain Agha creates delicate prints using aquatint. One print shows draped figures standing together. The fabric folds and covers the forms in soft dark tones. The image feels quiet and thoughtful. He uses drapery to talk about memory, grief, and hidden parts of life. The fabric becomes a symbol of protection and absence. The subtle shades and careful lines invite us to look closely and feel the emotions held inside. His work is gentle yet profound. It reminds us how much can be said through what is not fully shown.
کنبہ by Sheheryar Hussain Agha
These artists represent only a part of the rich variety found in Creative Currents III. Each brings something unique. Some focus on personal memory, while others look toward nature or city life. Asfar Jan, Aiman Faheem, Aimen Maqsood, Fatima Sajid, Hunain Hasan, Maha Awais, Maham Ajmal, Rabbia Khalid, Sarim Shah, Shadab Saeed, and Vareesha Siddique have also tremendously demonstrated their skill and technique through their respective works. It is humbling to witness how strongly these works resonate throughout the exhibition. Their techniques differ as well. Watercolor flows softly in some works. Thick paint adds energy in others. Dots build mystery in still more. Yet a common thread runs through all the pieces. These young creators care deeply about honest expression. They push boundaries while staying true to their own voices.
In the end, Creative Currents III leaves us hopeful. Art continues to grow and change. These graduates show that new stories are always waiting to be told. Their paintings invite us to join the flow and discover beauty in unexpected places. A moment in reverie.
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