Irum Rahat's 'Ye Kab ki Baat Hai?' Explores Memory and South Asian Domesticity at Pristine Contemporary
Lahore-born, London-based artist Irum Rahat presents her solo exhibition 'Ye Kab ki Baat Hai?' (translating to 'When did this happen?') at Pristine Contemporary in Delhi. The show features 16 paintings drawn from memory and imagination of her Lahore home, focusing on nocturnal scenes, familial rituals, and overlooked domestic moments. Rahat discusses the slipperiness of memory, the heightened identity of living abroad, and her intentional focus on women at rest, countering the performativity often expected in art. Key works include 'Offline' and a nocturnal paper piece, which serve as centering opposites. The exhibition runs in 2026, with Rahat noting that distance has deepened her connection to home and that she aims to give permanence to what ordinary life dismisses.
Key facts
- Irum Rahat is a Lahore-born, London-based artist.
- The exhibition 'Ye Kab ki Baat Hai?' is held at Pristine Contemporary in Delhi.
- The show includes 16 paintings of familial environments.
- The title translates to 'When did this happen?'
- Rahat's work explores memory, imagination, and South Asian domesticity.
- She uses her sister as a recurring motif, an extension of her own gaze.
- The exhibition features both nocturnal and daytime scenes.
- Rahat aims to give space to overlooked moments, especially of women.
Entities
Artists
- Irum Rahat
Institutions
- Pristine Contemporary
- STIR
Locations
- Lahore
- London
- Delhi
- India