Presented by Asia House in partnership with Manchester Art Gallery and Shisha, 'Beyond the Page: Contemporary Art From Pakistan' will be launched on 30 August 2006 at Asia House in London by HE Dr.Maleeha Lodhi, High Commissioner of Pakistan. As one of the highlights of the National Festival of Muslim Cultures, Beyond the Page introduces the vitality and diversity of contemporary Pakistani art.

Artists Hamra Abbas, Zahoor ul Akhlaq, Aisha Khalid, Hasnat Mehmood, Mohammed Imran Qureshi, Nusra Latif Qureshi, Rashid Rana and Usman Saeed are all trained in, or respond to, the 'miniature' tradition of the Subcontinent. Zahoor ul Akhlaq (1941-1999) as Professor of Art at the National College of Arts was the principal architect of the reinvention of miniature practice and influenced a new generation shown in this exhibition. All educated in Pakistan, but now based around the world, they have transformed the miniature using diverse techniques and media.

The art of miniature painting developed at Islamic and Hindu courts in Asia between the 14th and 19th centuries. In recent years there has been a dramatic revival of the miniaturist tradition and it has once again become one of the most significant art forms of the region with several young Pakistani artists standing at the vanguard of the movement. The exhibition explores how miniature practice has been transformed into an attitude ' a sensibility and way of working beyond the limitations of medium, technique and tradition.

Asia House is London's 'must visit' centre promoting pan-Asian business and culture. Stefan Kosciuszko, Chief Executive comments, "We are very excited to host this exhibition at Asia House as part of the Festival of Muslim Cultures. In conjunction with our role as Secretariat of the Pakistan Britain Trade and Investment Forum, Asia House is honoured to be presenting Pakistan business and culture at the highest level."

A full-colour publication co-published by Asia House, Green Cardamom, Manchester Art Gallery and Shisha will be a lasting document of this exhibition and the transgression of a movement.

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