Hafsa Nouman's 'Facsimile' at Palo Gallery Explores Memory Through Dastarkhwaan

Hafsa Nouman's solo exhibition 'Facsimile' at Palo Gallery in New York's East Village features paintings that explore cultural memory and family history through the Dastarkhwaan, a traditional communal eating spread from Central and South Asia. The show includes works like 'Tehar Jao' (2024), an oil on paper on wood panel piece based on an old family photograph of her grandmother's kitchen in Lahore, Pakistan. Gallery founder Paul Henkel notes that Nouman pushes boundaries in materiality and intimacy, treating memory with cherishment rather than despair. For the opening, chef Zainab Sadia Saeed prepared a traditional Dastarkhwaan meal for 15 guests, served on a large acrylic painting by Nouman that replicates a gingham tablecloth from her maternal grandmother Bibi's house in Gujranwala, Pakistan. The meal included dishes like Kachumar Salad, Shaami Kebab, and Chicken Karahi. Henkel described it as one of the most memorable nights in the gallery's history, with guests spending three hours interacting with the painting. Nouman, based in New Haven, Connecticut, works in painting, printmaking, and architectural installation.