OXFORD, UK.-Modern Art Oxford presents the first solo exhibition in the UK of work by Imran Qureshi. Qureshi works from the Mughal heritage of Miniature painting, with its emphasis on draughtsmanship and the delicate repetition of decorative motifs and layers of colour, redefining this tradition in contemporary terms. For his exhibition at Modern Art Oxford, Qureshi presents a selection of recent paintings from his ongoing series Moderate Enlightenment together with a new wall painting, which he will create especially for the Lower Gallery.

Suzanne Cotter, the exhibition’s curator, comments: 'Qureshi takes the language of the Miniature beyond the page to the walls of the gallery itself to create a dazzling decorative cycle of illusion and shadow.'

Born in 1972 in Hyderabad, Pakistan, Qureshi is Professor at the Department of Fine Arts, National College of Arts Lahore where he has been teaching Miniature painting and drawing since 1994. He is also a member of the collective workshop Darmiyaan, set up by his wife and fellow artist Aisha Khalid to reflect on their position as artists in the wake of September 11. Qureshi lives and works in Lahore, Pakistan.

Imran Qureshi is the second artist to participate in Modern Art Oxford’s new encounters programme, which includes exhibitions, displays, talks, activities and special events with the aim of inspiring more people to enjoy and engage with contemporary art. The artist will be working with students at Oxford Community School in the weeks leading up to the exhibition.