Suleman Aqeel Khilji on Memory and Place in Thaddaeus Ropac's 'Like Music in the Blood'

Suleman Aqeel Khilji is currently showing in the group exhibition Like Music in the Blood at Thaddaeus Ropac's Ely House, on view until 1 October 2026. The show also features Benjamin Orlow, Galli and others. In an interview with Jaya Gataaura at his studio in Angel, London, Khilji discussed how memory and place inform his hazy paintings. Born in Quetta, Pakistan, he travelled through Balochistan with his civil engineer father. He studied fine art at Balochistan University and the National College of Arts in Lahore, then moved to London in 2022 for the Royal Academy Schools. His work often blends architectural motifs from different locations, creating ambiguous spaces. He describes his characters as fluid, not specific individuals. Khilji values patience, having waited ten years after graduation before applying to the Royal Academy. He aims to make paintings that feel paused, not finished, and wants them to be seen as future memories, like excavated objects. He is driven to surpass his previous shows.